June, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



461 



July 1, hoiiey-markot reports for the whole 

 country. An earnest effort is being' made 

 to secure a special appropriation from the 

 Agricultural Department for use in advanc- 

 ing apieultural interests. A large number 

 of beekeepers' associations and state work- 

 ers have been induced to circularize members 

 of their organizations to speed up honey 

 production in tliis war year. 



U. S. GOVERNMENr's REPORT ON NUMBERS, 

 CONDITION^ AND WINTER LOSSES. 



The Bureau of Crop Estimates of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture 

 issued a " Honeybee Report " on May 1, 

 based on the returns from inquiries sent 

 to about 9000 honey-crop reporters all over 

 the United States. 



According to the Government's estimate, 

 winter losses of bees for 1916-17 have not 

 been quite so heavy as during the previous 

 two years, being 10 per cent this winter 

 compared with 13.3 and 12.6 per cent in 

 1915-16 and 1914-15, but were very severe 

 in many Rocky Mountain States, amounting 

 to almost half of all colonies in Idaho. The 

 heavier losses are reported as being due to 

 the long winter and extremely low tempera- 

 tures. 



The total number of working colonies on 

 hand this spring is 4 per cent greater than 

 last year, increases of from 5 to 12 per cent 

 being shown in most of the North Central 

 States, and reaching 18 and 20 per cent in- 

 crease in Illinois and Nebraska, while in 

 most of the Atlantic Coast States from 

 Maryland northward the increases range 

 from 10 to 25 per cent. Increases of from 

 5 to 10 per cent are reported from most 

 Southern States, but corresponding de- 

 creases occurred in North Carolina, Florida, 

 Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas. Ex- 

 tremely heavy winter losses in the northern 

 and central Rocky Mountain States pre- 

 vented a more material increase in the num- 

 ber of colonies for the country as a whole. 

 The condition of colonies as to healthful- 

 ness and strength is 91.1 per cent of normal, 

 slightly lower than last year, and 4 lov.o; 

 than the average of the past four years, be- 

 ing good to excellent in the Atlantic Coast 

 and North Central States, embracing most 

 of the white-clover belt, but poor in most of 

 the Gulf States, particularly Texas, and in 

 the Western States generally. 



The condition of honey-plants averages 

 82.5 per cent of normal for the United 

 States, which is about 13 below both last 

 year and the four-year average. The con- 

 ditions are particularly poor in Florida, 

 Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Idaho, Oregon, and 



California. The prospects in California 

 for sage honey are very poor, owing to se- 

 vere fall and winter drouth and a late 

 spring. Orange is more promising, and 

 conditions may improve from recent gener- 

 al rains in the southern sections of the 

 state. Serious winter-killing of clover and 

 alfalfa is reported from many sections, 

 particularly Nebraska, Kansas, and Illinois. 

 The late spring over most of the country is, 

 to some extent, responsible for the low-con- 

 dition figures on honey-plants. 



Fruit prospects are, at this early period, 

 very favorable; and if good crops are final- 

 ly realized, and the price of sugar should 

 remain high, the narrowed margin between 

 the cost of honey and sugar may be expected 

 to encourage a larger use of honey for pre- 

 serving fruits. 



A MORE GENERAL USE OF FIBER CONTAINERS. 



" The Official Bulletin " of May 15, now 

 published by order of the President, con- 

 tained the following that may interest those 

 who sell honey in small lots on home mar- 

 kets, for the practical fiber honey-container 

 is now almost a certainty : 



" Plans for lessening the use of tin cans 

 for products non-perishable, thus releasing 

 large quantities of tin for use in the manu- 

 facture of cans as containers for seasonable 

 foodstuffs, have about been completed. If 

 the public will co-operate, there will un- 

 doubtedly be sufficient supply of tin cans 

 to care for the perishable crops for the 

 summer. To this highly necessary condition 

 the individual may assist by accepting goods 

 in fiber or paper instead of tin whenever 

 there is no deterioration in the change. It 

 is exceedingly important that there be tin to 

 preserve the summer vegetables and fruit 

 for use next winter. The housewife who 

 helps us provide that supply by lessening 

 her own demand for tin-packed goods is 

 undoubtedly ' doing her bit ' in a patriotic 

 manner. Some of the products which it has 

 been suggested may be successfully packed 

 in fiber are coffee, tea, tobacco, soap pow- 

 ders, cleaners, shoe and metal polish, soaps 

 and shaving preparations, talcum powders, 

 alum baking-powders, spiees, condiments, 

 raisins, prunes, and various drug's and 

 chemicals. 



" For home use, in putting ud jellies and 

 preserves, the fiber containers may be used, 

 and will be found cheap and satisfactory. 

 Information as to where they may be ob- 

 tained will be gladly furnished inquirers 

 who address the Bureau of Foreign and 

 Domestic Commerce, Department of Com- 

 merce, Washington, or any of its branches 

 in the several cities of the country." 



