372 



Gf-LEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



May, 1917 



backward, being' about a moivth behind, continued 

 cold up to this time, April 14. 



MINNESOTA, reported by E. L. Hofmann, Janes- 

 ville. — Loss in cellar wintering about 2 per cent : 

 colonies are strong with a good supply of stores, and 

 with proper management should be in good condition 

 for the harvest; basswood is about due to give us 

 some surplus again and clover is in excellent condi- 

 tion, but of late all indications are for dry weather. 

 NORTH CAROLINA, reported by Walter Flem- 

 ings, Greensboro. — Winter loss 10 per cent; strength 

 of colonies is fair but many colonies short of stores ; 

 the colonies generally will not be ready for the honey- 

 flow altho the experienced man will have his ready ; 

 the honey-flow will be even too early for the bees ; 

 condition of principal honey-producing plants about 

 8.5 per cent except clover, which is not a good stand 

 and backward; there has been too much rainfall. 



NEW JERSEY, reported by E. G. Carr, New 

 Eg;v'pt. — Percentage of winter loss 5 per cent; stores 

 rather short, strength of colonies medium; doubtful 

 if colonies will be ready for the honey-flow and 

 honey-flow likely to be ready before the bees are ; 

 condition of principal honey-producing plants good 

 and '-lover looks good; enough rainfall. 



NEW YORK, reported by F. A. Salisbury, Syra- 

 cuse. — Winter loss probably not over 15 per cent , 

 strength of colonies and stores good; colonies are 

 going to be readv for the honey-flow and the honey- 

 flow seems sure to be on time for the bees ; principal 

 honey-producing plants are in normal condition; 

 rainfall sufficient. 



OHIO, reported by E. R. Root, Medina. — Winter 

 loss about 10 per cent; strength of colonies fair, al- 

 tho the weak suffered severely during the winter and 

 late spring ; stores appear to be abundant ; colonies 

 likely to be ready for the honey-flow, and the honey- 

 flow probably will be ready when the bees are ready ; 

 condition of the main honey-producing plants good ; 

 condition of clover fair ; there has been sufficient 

 rainfall. 



OKLAHOMA, reported by F. W. Vandemark, 

 Stillwater.- — Winter losses 5 per cent ; condition of 

 colonies as to strength and stores good; colonies will 

 be ready for honey-flow and honey-flow promises to 

 be ready for the bees ; condition of principal honey- 

 producing plants good; condition of sweet clover and 

 alfalfa good; fine rain falling now. 



OREGON, reported by E. J. Ladd, Portland. — 

 Percentage of winter loss not over 10 per cent; 

 condition of the colonies regarding strength and also 

 stores, light in both; colonies are not likely to be 

 ready for the honey-flow ; condition of the prin- 

 cipal honey-producing plants was never better; cover 

 looks excellent ; have had too much rainfall. 



ONTARIO, reported by J. L. Byer, Markham. — 

 Winter loss in this locality very light, probably about 

 5 per cent, and reports from other pnrts of Ontario 

 to date indicate a very light mortality to be the 

 general condition of the bees in this province ; ma- 

 .iority of colonies are strong and nearly all have 

 plenty of stores ; warm weather needed, and upon 

 how soon this comes depends whether bees will be 

 ready for clover when it blooms ; season abnormally 

 cold to date; bees had first cleansing flight on March 

 25 and 26, and since that time they have flown 

 on only two days and only for about an hour or 

 so at a time; heavy freezing every night and cold 

 raw winds thruout the day ; clover looked fine when 

 the snow left but is being hard tried now; alsike 

 likely to be in fair condition. 



PENNSYLVANIA, reported by H. C. Klinger, 

 Liverpool. — Percentage of winter loss is less than 

 5 per cent; colonies are in good shape as to bees 

 and stores; owing to cold weather the last few weeks 

 brood-rearing has been retarded and also vegetation 

 andl so the colonies may be ready for the honey-flow 

 when it comes unless weather conditions force the 

 fiuit and clover blossoms ahead; clover has not been 

 making any headway but there appears to be a good 

 stand; rainfall has been sufficient but cold weather 

 has held up everything. 



TENNESSEE, reported by Mrs. Grace Allcii. 

 Nashville. — In this immediate section winter loss in 

 almost nothing; colonies strong with fair stores; 

 late cold spring has retarded brood-rearing some- 

 what but hope to be ready for honey-flow; main 

 honey-producing plants in this locality look promis- 

 ing with exception of crimson clover and alsike 

 which were winter-damaged ; buds of locust are 



forming and ought to be out in about two weeks ; 

 white clover shows splendid indications but other 

 clovers have been injured by the trying winter; 

 enough rainfall and to spare. 



TEXAS, reported by F. D. Paddock, College Sta- 

 tion. — Winter loss in all sections of the state com- 

 paratively light, but there has been a heavy spring 

 loss, due in some instances to lack of pollen; most 

 of colonies now in good shape are very light on 

 stores ; bees will be ready for any honey-flow that 

 comes, but the honey-flow will be short on most of 

 the staple honey-plants on account of an excessively 

 dry winter; have just had a rain over the entire 

 state and this will help considerably, but it is im- 

 possible to tell at this time just what extent this 

 rain will affect the principal honey-plants. 



UTAH, reported by M. L. Skougard, Parowan. — 

 Winter loss 30 per cent; bees that have wintered are 

 gaining fast and will be ready for main honey-flow ; 

 much work to keep colonies supplied with enough 

 stores to last until fruit-bloom, as they have con- 

 sumed more stores this winter than for many sea- 

 sons past; clover is starting nicely, and the fruit- 

 bloom promises well as a honey-producing source ; 

 not as much snow in the mountains as at first 

 thought, but enough to keep our streams up this 

 summer. 



VERMONT, reported by J. E. Crane, Middlebury. 

 — Winter loss 2 per cent; strength of colonies and 

 stores good; looks as if colonies would be ready for 

 honey-flow and honey-flow will be on time; condi- 

 tion of main honey-producing plants good ; clover 

 looks well; plenty of rainfall; outlook for a good 

 crop of honey so far as bees and clover are con- 

 cerned excellent, but have noticed that when every- 

 thing is satisfactory or at the best in early spring 

 we are more likely to meet with failure than when 

 it looks le.ss promising. 



WASHINGTON, reported by G. W. Bowlin, White 

 Swan.- — Bees have wintered finely, few reporting as 

 large as 10 per cent loss, while many have lost but 

 one to three per cent. 



WISCONSIN, reported by N. E. France, Platte- 

 ville. — Winter loss 2 to 5 per cent; condition of 

 colonies as to strength and their stores best for years ; 

 uncertain as to colonies being ready for the honey- 

 flow, as cold nights retard brood-rearing; main honey 

 plants in good condition ; clover in this locality looks 

 good; rain is now needed. 

 [Received too late for alphabetical arrangement.] 



COLORADO, reported by J. A. Green, of Grand 

 Junction. — Winter loss probably 15 per cent; colo- 

 nies a little below the normal in strength; plenty of 

 stores; the colonies will be ready for the honey-flow, 

 and the honey-flow will be ready for the bees ; 

 principal honey-producing plants in good condition ; 

 there has been enough rainfall. 



GEORGIA, reported by L. W. Crovatt, Savannah. 

 — Winter loss, 3 per cent; colonies in fine strength 

 and general condition ; small supply of stores at 

 beginning of early honey-flow; severe freeze set back 

 the early honey-producing plants, but flow from titi 

 has been fairly satisfactory, and beekeepers are 

 hopeful concerning the flow from gallberry, which 

 begins early in May; condition of main honey- 

 plants regarded very favorable ; there has been 

 abundant rainfall. 



BRITISH COLUMBIA, reported by Williams 

 Hugh, Victoria. — Thruout the wide area of British 

 (^olumbia, with all its diverse climatic conditions, 

 the coming of spring has been delayed from five to 

 six weeks, and more rain than usual has fallen over 

 the lower mainland and Vancouver Island, which 

 fact appears responsible for an increase in the loss 

 of colonies: loss probably 25 per cent, due to in- 

 sufficient and improper stores; colonies that were 

 well packed down for the winter with plenty of 

 stores will be ready for any honey-flow ; there are 

 no great areas in this district where it can be said 

 there are " main honey-producing centers," but there 

 is a succession of honey-producing plants always; 

 the small areas devoted to the culture of clover are 

 in good condition; there has been more rainfall than 

 usual. 



H. B. Murray, of Liberty, N. C, breeder of 

 Italian queens, writes that he feels safe in saying 

 that the past winter has been the hardest on bees 

 that has been experienced in North Carolina for 

 twenty or thirty years, and that there has been much 



