OCTOBER 15, 1916 



9^1 



BEEKEEPING IN THE SOUTHWEST 



Louis H. Scholl, New Braunfels, Texas 



The gasoline age is beginning to 

 benefit the beekeeper more and 

 more. Altho a number of beekeep- 

 ers have taken advantage of the 

 use of motor vehicles of some type 

 or other for a number of years 

 past it has been during only the 

 last two years that tliey were more abun- 

 dantly adopted for apiary work. Inquiries 

 have been coming from quite a number of 

 beekeepers contemplating the iDurchase of 

 an automobile or truck for beework, and 

 desiring certain information regarding them 

 before making the i^urchase. This indicates 

 a still greater use of the auto during the 

 coming years. 



For the small beekeeper the larger, heav- 

 ier, and more expensive auto trucks do not 

 seem to be as practical as some of the light- 

 er machines. There are some who differ 

 with me on this question; but after a trial 

 with both kinds, together with a thoro study 

 of the two in my own apiary work, my 

 conclusion is that more can be accorajDlished 

 with two half -ton trucks than with a one-ton 

 truck. This is especially true where a large 

 number of apiaries must be visited fre- 

 quently. Tn fact, a great deal of the run- 

 ning around to the apiaries can be done far 

 more economically than with a larger and 

 more expensive machine. I still favor two 

 Fords over any other kind of machines for 

 our work. 



and it is my sincere wish that the efforts on 

 the part of the Texas beekeepers in this 

 direction may be crowned with success. 



While Texas honey prices were anything 

 but satisfactorj' a little over a month ago, 

 we are getting better prices now. The 

 market is much more steady, and the de- 

 mand is keener. All this occurred in spite 

 of the information that there were still 

 great quantities of honey in the hands of 

 numerous large producers, together with the 

 approach of tlie autumn months and cool 

 weather during which the sale of honey is 

 usually curtailed. Extracted honey, too, is 

 on a firmer basis at this time than it has 

 been for a number of years, and the supply 

 has been rapidly decreasing. 



Information about the cause that has 

 brought this condition about is lacking. 

 Perhaps none of us have thought about it 

 seriously enough to ascertain the real cause. 

 Perhaps it may be attributed to the general 

 spell of prosperity that lias spread over the 

 country. Even if this be true I cannot help 

 but feel that our efforts to organize our- 

 selves for better marketing of our honey 

 and other products has already had its ef- 

 fect in that the beekeepers were awakened 

 and just simply quit throwing their honey 

 away at low prices. They are all asking 

 more for their honey now than before the 

 agitation of organizing began. Let's keep 

 the good work going. 



CO-OPERATION IN TEXAS. 



Co-operation and organization have been 

 uppermost in my mind for many years, and 

 the readers will remember that I have called 

 attention to this important question quite 

 frequently in these columns. I believe 

 thoroly in a united effort of the beekeepers 

 toward a better marketing of their prod- 

 ucts. It not only helps them but everybody 

 else who is dependent upon them. Let the 

 beekeepers get a good price for their prod- 

 uct, and not only they will thrive, but the 

 supply-dealer, the manufacturer, and every- 

 body else who trades with the beekeepers 

 will thrive. For this reason all these inter- 

 ests should lend a helping hand where bee- 

 keepers are endeavoring to band themselves 

 together for the purpose of making their 

 vocation a more profitable one, not only to 

 themselves but for all concerned. We are 

 trying to do this very tiling in Texas today, 



so:me differences between the north 

 and south. 

 It sounds rather strange to read on page 

 838, under " Honey Crop Conditions and 

 Prices," the following sentence : " As soon 

 as the crop begins to pour into the market 

 we shall be able to get more definite infor- 

 mation" — strange because here in the South 

 we have been pouring our honey into the 

 market ever since April and May, and at 

 this time are just about " winding up the 

 season " with what scattering lots of honey 

 there may still be left unsold. There does 

 not seem to be any large quantity of this, 

 and the demand is keener than it has been 

 for some time. It is doubtful whether any 

 honey will have to be carried over the win- 

 ter, and the usual winter and very early 

 spring trade in honey that has been created 

 during the last few years will have to go 

 begging for want of a supjily. 



