Septkmbkr, 1920 



(J I. E A N 1 N G S IN BEE C U 1. T U R E 



543 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



lioucy ill tho liixo, tlio l)oos \viiit(M'0(i woll 

 whothor tlie tciiipcrature in the I'cllar was 

 ;!S (logroos or 50 degrees. So, be sure that 

 vou have young bees and plenty of good 

 stores in the hive, and then do the Viest you 

 ean to keep the temperature not lower than 

 42 nor higher than 50 degrees. Personally, 

 I think 45 degrees is a good mark to aim 

 for. Now it is practically within the power 

 of every beekeeper to have young bees ami 

 |)lenty of good stores in the hive, but the 

 cellar problem is not so easily settled in 

 Minnesota. With certain general principles 

 in mind, I believe that each individual will 

 have to work out the problem according to 

 his own local conditions. 



It is a difficult matter to say anything 

 very definite about prices of honey. The 

 dealers are holding off, and only those who 

 are in a hurry for their money are selling to 

 the wholesalers. The general feeling seems 

 to be that prices will be about the same as 

 last year. Chas. D. Blaker. 



Minneapolis, Minn. 



In Michigan ""/"'^ ''I ^''^ ^9 the 



c> state Beekeepeers As- 



sociation held its annual summer meeting at 

 Boyne City. One of the best possible pro- 

 grams was presented. Among tlie out-of-the- 

 State sjieakers were E. R. Eoot of Gleanings, 

 ('. P. Padaiit of the American Bee Journal, 

 H. L. McMurry, State Inspector of Wiscon- 

 sin, anil W. I). Acliord, queen-breeder of Ala- 

 bama. It was decided to hold the next meet- 

 ing at Alpena. 



A stockholders ' meeting of the Michigan 

 Honey Producers' E.xchange was held during 

 the meeting at Boyne City, and it was decid- 

 ed to continue to solicit memberships in the 

 Exdiange. Some stock is yet available. In- 

 corporation pa]>ers will not be filed until at 

 least $5,0(10 worth of stock lias been sold. 

 The next stockholders' meeting will be held 

 in the Administration building on the De- 

 troit State fair grounds at 2 p. m. on Sept. 9. 



Foul-brood conditions show a decided im- 

 jirovement over last year and the preceding 

 years. Because of the steady honey flow 

 ihiring tlie season and because of the large 

 amount of Italianizing that has been done 

 in recent years, European foul brood has 

 been a serious factor in but few communi- 

 ties. American foul brood is, of course, 

 widely scattered over the State. The elimi- 

 tion of the small beekeepers by winter loss- 

 es an<l the ])assing of the box hives are, 

 however, making the matter of control eas- 

 ier than before. Next spring we will start 

 the county clean-up which was anticipated in 

 the quarantine law which was passed by the 

 last legislature. It is planned to start in 

 (^'heboygan and Huron counties and extend 

 thft county clean-up into the adjacent terri- 

 tory as fast as possible. Local inspectors in 

 the various counties have been cleaning up 



their territory township l\v township, and 

 next season should show (|uit(' a number of 

 counties free from American foul brood. 



The crop of white honey is being extracted 

 at this time. The honey flow started at 

 about the normal time, except in a few areas 

 where the flow was from one to four weeks 

 late. In general, the yield per colony is very 

 satisfactory. In this there are some excep- 

 tional areas also. The southern part of the 

 State has had the heaviest white honey flow 

 in years. Yields of from 150 to 200 pounds 

 per colony for the run of the yard are being 

 reported. This is very exceptional, inas- 

 much as the bees were very weak in the 

 spring. When spring weather really opened, 

 a large part of the colonies were only two- 

 and three-frame nuclei. Central and north- 

 ern Michigan have not had as heavy a crop 

 as the southern part. Rains and cold weather 

 in these parts interfered with the secretion 

 and gathering of the nectar. Tliis will be 

 made up to a certain extent by the flow from 

 goldenrod and other fall flow^ers. Goldenrod 

 has made a heavy growth and gives promise 

 of a good crop in those districts where it is 

 found. There is very little comb honey be- 

 ing produced this year. A large part of the 

 comb-honey producers found their bees so 

 weak that they immediately prepared to 

 extract this year. Comb honey will there- 

 fore be scarce in Michigan and should com- 

 mand a high price. The honey market is 

 becoming quite active again. Many pro- 

 ducers have received attractive offers for 

 their entire crojis. The general tendency is 

 to hold until the market becomes more set- 

 tled and a somewhat definite price estab- 

 lished. In connection w4th the above state- 

 ment, it must be remembered that a large 

 part of the bees of the State died out last 

 winter or this spring. Possibly 60 per cent 

 of all the bees died. Tlierefore, even with 

 an exceptionally heavy crop in some parts, 

 the Michigan crop will not total as many 

 tons as in previous years. The loss has been 

 made up to a considerable extent by the pro- 

 fessional beekeepers, but the farmer bee- 

 keepers have not made up the losses. This 

 leaves the bulk of the bees for next year 's 

 crop in the hands of the large producers. 



East Lansing, Mich. B. P. Kindig. 



« * * 



In Florida.— ^''"^'^ not been keeping up 

 Avitli conditions in other 

 parts of the State this year, but believe 

 the season has been very ])oor. We were 

 fortunate here in obtaining a fair crop from 

 orange, which sold readily at 20 <;eiits f. o. 

 b. here. From gallberry, basswood, and red- 

 bay there was a small surplus. This honey 

 has a peculiar flavor, tasting very much like 

 maple syrup, and I am keeping two barrels 

 of it for my own use, as it would be sure to 

 be suspected of adulteration if placed on 

 tlie market. Saw palmetto was a failure. 



