Dkcembkp., 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



925 



AFTER pass- 

 ing thru 

 the very 

 trying and more 

 or less disastrous season of 1917, it is of 

 much interest to stop for a time and kwk 

 around to determine the status of conditions 

 to see how we stand and what is the next 

 and best step for the future. As the sea- 

 son passed, with month after month of ex- 

 tremely unfavorable conditions, there have 

 been many who feared for the outcome, and 

 who have not had the courage to make this 

 review of conditions. 



Over the entire state the honey-plants 

 have suffered greatly f I'om the drouth, which 

 has been the most severe for twenty-five 

 3'ears. Rains are needed badly now, and 

 would do unlimited good if they would oc- 

 cur soon. In the extreme southern section 

 of the state the fall honey-plants have 

 bloomed nicely, the flow extending over the 

 entire month of October. In the Gulf Coast 

 section the honey-plants are in very jjoor 

 condition ; but some distamce inland it is 

 found that the mesquile is about normal, 

 and the horsemint will develop if normal 

 winter rains occur. In the southwest sec- 

 tion the honey-plants are only about 50 per 

 cent noiTtial. In the creek bottoms the oak 

 growth is in good condition; but away from 

 these localities extreme drouth conditions 

 prevail. In the western section the horey- 

 plants, mesquile and catclaw, show the effect 

 of the extreme prolonged drouth. In the 

 irrigated areas the alfalfa is in normal co^n- 

 dition. Thruout the central section the 

 drouth has had a very marked effect on the 

 honey-plants, causing a very short fall flow 

 from broomweed. The very early frost on 

 October 8, in the northeast section, pre- 

 vented the cotton from yielding any fall 

 flow, aaid the honey-yielding weeds were 

 also severely injured by this freeze. 



After considering the above remarks it 

 is only natural to ask, " What is the condi- 

 tion of the bees? How are they going into 

 the winter?" In Ihe extreme southern sec- 

 tion the beies entered the winter in excellent 

 condition, having bad a good late flow on 

 which they built up well and also stored a 

 good surplus of honey. In the Gulf Coast 

 section the bees were in poor condition, 

 especially to go into winter. However, 

 further inland the bees had probably suliti- 

 cient stores to carry them thru till spring. 

 In the southwest section the bees were about 

 60 per cent normal ?.nd were in just fair 

 condition for winter, being rather light on 

 stores. In the western section those bees 

 that have received attention will go thru 

 the Avinter nicely. Owing to the short crop 



IN TEXAS 



F. B. Paddock, State Entomologist 



in this section 

 many beekeep- 

 ers have not 

 given their bees 

 proper attention, and many of such colo- 

 nies will be lost before spring. Thru the 

 centi'al section the majority of the colonies 

 are in only fair condition to enter the win- 

 ter, being light on stores, not having re- 

 ceived the attention that was denianded. 

 With plenty of stores and young bees, the 

 colonies of the northeast section are well 

 piepared for winter. 



Witli such an adverse year it is only to be 

 expected that there would be a heavy less 

 of bees. However, reiDorts do not indicate 

 that this loss has been as heavy as was 

 expected. There has been some loss in the 

 Gulf Coast section ; and thruout the south- 

 west section, where conditions have been so 

 severe, there is some loss, but not as much 

 as was expected. In the. western and the 

 central sections there have already been 

 some losses ; but heavier losses will come be- 

 fore spring, due to inattention before going 

 into winter. In the northeast section, at 

 the end of the season there was an increase 

 over last year of at least 40 per cent in the 

 number of bees. 



After a review of the conditions at the 

 close of the season, and a summing-up of 

 all the factors, what are the prospects for 

 next year? It might be expected that the 

 extremely adverse conditions of the past 

 year would cause many to despair of the 

 future. But the reports do not indicate 

 that such is the case. Among the older 

 and larger beekeepers there is a decided 

 feeling that next year will be more favor- 

 able than for some years past. Tlie smaller 

 beekeeirer and the beginner will be more 

 (ban ready to discard all idea of beekeep- 

 ing, many being now anxious to sell their 



holdings. 



♦ * * 



Whatever honej' is i^ut on the market is 

 readily taken up at a vei'y good price. 

 Very little honey has been handled in a 

 wholesale way, the local market having been 

 able to consume all that has been produced 

 in any locality. Many inquiries have been 

 received for carload lots, but there has been 

 i:othing offered. 



Much favorable comment has been heard 

 concerning the apiarian exhibit at the State 

 Fair. In this unusually severe year we 

 have had the best exhibit at the fair that has 

 ever been presented to the people of the 

 state. It is self-evident that much interest 

 in honey is being created by this yearly 

 exhibit. The interesting feature is that the 

 exhibitors feel so well rewarded for their 



