Gleanings in bee culture 



February, 1921. 



HONEY MARKETS 



There is not much new to report, except 

 that there is hoj^e that the bottom has been 

 reached, and that a slight upward trend has 

 been started in harmony with the general 

 improved economic conditions the country 

 over. Producers are urged to sell their crops 

 locally; and to that end it may be advisable- 

 to use liberal advertising space in local pa- 

 pers. Generally speaking, it is not a good 

 time now to send honey in large lots to the 

 big markets, if one can hold it till condi- 

 tions are better. 



U. S. Government Market Reports. 



SHIPPING POINT INFORMATION, JAN. 15. 



LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — Wh-e inquiry light, 

 demand slightly better, movement slow, market un- 

 settled, prices lower. Very few sales are being made, 

 and an uncertain feeling is prevalent as to whether 

 still further declines may be experienced. Carloads 

 f. o. b. usual teirms, per lb., white orange blossom 

 16-17c, white sage 14-16c, light amber sage ll-13c, 

 light amber alfalfa 9-lOc. Beeswax in less than 

 car lots, 35-37C. 



INTERMOUNTAIN, REGION (COLORADO 

 AND IDAHO). — According to reports from reliable 

 sources, very light shipments are being made, of 

 eiither extracted or comb. Supplies of comb are now 

 very light, and practically no large sales of either 

 type of honey or of beeswax are being made. Carlot 

 buyers are reported to have largely temporarily 

 withdrawn from the market, due to the present 

 financial stringency, their lack of confidence in the 

 current market situation, and their desire to enter 

 the new year with small stocks on hand. F. o. b. 

 usual term nominal quotations range 16c per lb. in 

 carlots for extracted, $7.25 for fancy comb, $7.00 

 for No. 1, and $6.00 for No. 2 comb. It is said that 

 some repacking of extracted stock into 5 and 10 lb. 

 pails is being done for sale direct to the consumer 

 or retail grocer at around 17%"20c per lb. Judg- 

 ing from the present attitude of beekeepers, the 

 relative proportion of comb over extracted will 

 probably increase tliis coming year. Beeswax, cash 

 to beekeepers, is selling for mostly 36c per lb. for 

 light to medium grade. 



BOSTON. — One car Porto Rico via New York 

 City arrived since last report. Comb-honey move- 

 ment slow, but is steady because of light supply, 

 which is all in hands of dealers. California honey 

 selling very slowly in small lots at slightly lower 

 prices. Good demand and movement for Porto Rico 

 honey because of relatively low prices. (Honey in 

 glass containers is selling about 20 per cent lower 

 than two weeks ago.) Comb: Sales to retailers, New 

 Yorks, 24-section cases white clover No. 1, heavy 

 $8.50-9.00, light $7.00-8.00. Extracted: Sales to 

 confectioners and bottlers, Porto Rico amber, per 

 gallon 80-90c; California, in small lots per lb., 

 white sage 18-20c, mostly 18c. Beeswax: No de- 

 mand or movement. Nominal quotations to floor-wax 

 and candle manufacturers, per lb., domestic light 

 35c 



PHILADELPHIA. — 'Very light receipts of 

 near-by honey, supplies generally moderate, no de- 

 mand and impossible to establish a market. Dealers 

 are loaded with high-price honey and those with 

 relatively light supplies not buying on account con- 

 dition of market. Beeswax: Heavy supplies of for- 

 eign wax in this district meeting absolutely no de- 

 mand because industries using this stock are most- 

 ly closed down entirely or working short tinie. 



ST. LOUIS. — No carlot receipts reported. Comb: 

 Supplies are liberal with practically no demand. 

 The market is very dull, with almost too few sales 

 to establish a market. Sales to retailers in small 

 lots, Colorado, white clover and alfalfa No. 1 heavy, 

 in 24-section cases $7.50-8.00 per case. Extracted: 

 Supplies are also liberal with practically no de- 

 mand or sales. Nominal quotations to wholesale gro- 

 cers, large bakers and jobbers, per lb. in 5-gallon 

 cans, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi light am- 

 ber variou.s mixed flavors 12-13c, dark amber vari- 

 ous mixed flavors 10-llc. California light amber 

 alfalfa around 15c. Colorado white alfalfa and sweeit 



clover mi.Nod 15-16c. Beeswax: Supplies are light. 

 no activity at present in beeswax market, but market 

 is nominally weaker and prices lower. Nominal 

 quotations to jobbers, and manufacturers of floor 

 wax and comb foundation, Missouri, Arkansas, and 

 Mississippi, light per pound 26c. 



NEW YORK. — Extracted: Liberal 1. c. 1. receipts 

 from N. Y. arrived. Supplies moderate, demand 

 and movement light, market very dull. A few bot- 

 tlers, bakers, and confectioners are buying, prin- 

 cipally South American and West Indian honey, 

 largely in place of sugar. Sales to jobbers, large 

 wholesalers, confectioners, bakers, and bottlers, do- 

 mestic, per lb., Californias, light amber alfalfa 11- 

 12c, white alfalfa 12-14c, few 15c, light amber 

 sage 15-1 6c, white orange blossom and white sage 

 16-18c, mostly 17-18c. Imported, West Indian and 

 South American refined per gallon, best, 70-75c, 

 few 80c, poorer low as 60c. Comb: Practically no 

 supplies, no sales reported. Beeswax: L. c. 1. re- 

 ceipts from New York liberal. Supplies moderate, 

 demand and movement light, market dull, very few 

 sales reported, buying being done almost entirely 

 in small lots. Sales to jobbers and wholesalers. 

 South American, West Indian, and European, light 

 20-22C, few high as 24c; dark 18-20c per lb. 



CHICAGO. — Since last report, 1 car California 

 extracted consisting mainly of sage and alfalfa ar- 

 rived. Movement very slow, the main reason for 

 which seems to be cheapness of sugar, weak market, 

 and prices slipping gradually to lower levels. Local 

 storage holdings appear liberal and buyers gener- 

 ally inclined to hold ofi^ from buying in producing 

 sections. Sales to bottlers, wholesale grocers, mail- 

 order houses, and some direct to retailers — stock 

 mainly alfalfa and clover and coming from Wiscon- 

 sin, Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota. Extracted, per 

 lb., white 14y2-15i/2C, light amber 14-14i^. Comb: 

 Best No. 1, $6.75-7.00 per 24-section case, light 

 sections and poor-color comb bringing $5.50-6.50. 

 Beeswax: 1. c. 1. receipts moderate, but quite a lot 

 of foreign wax arriving from Africa and South 

 America. African wax is inferior, but South Ameri- 

 can is comparable to domestic and brings about 

 same price. Sales mainly to wholesale drug com- 

 panies and harness manufacturers; Colorado, Ohio, 

 rado, Ohio, Wisconsin, and South America light 

 31-32C, dark 30c per lb.; African, mostly dark 27c 

 per lb. 



CINCINNATI. — Receipts light, with no carlot ar- 

 rivals reported. Comb: Supplies light, demand mod- 

 erate, market steady, prices holding firm. Sales to 

 retailers, Ohio white clover, 24-section cases No. 1, 

 $8.50 per case. Extracted: Supplies liberal, prac- 

 tically no demand or movement, too few sales to 

 establish market, and dealers trying to unload pres- 

 ent stocks before buying more. Nominal quotations 

 by receivers, Ohio, white clover 13-15c per lb. 

 Beeswax: Supplies moderate, demand fair, market 

 holds firm with prices practically unchanged. Sales 

 to wholesale druggists and harness manufacturers, 

 average vellow 39-45c per lb. 



GEORGE LIVINGSTON, 



Chief of Bureau of Markets. 



Opinions of Producers. 



Early in January we sent to actual honey-pro- 

 ducers in California, Colorado, Idaho, and Wash- 

 ington 'the following questions: 



1 . What percentage of the honey in your section 



is still held by the producers? 



2. (a) Thru what channels has the honey been 



disposed of, that is out of the hands of pro- 

 ducers? (b) and at what prices for both ex- 

 tracted and comb? 



3 . What is the condition of the bees as compared 



with normal? (Give your answer in per cent 

 figures, counting normal as 100 per cent.) 



4. What is the condition of the honey plants? 

 CALIFORNIA. — Perhaps 10 per cent of honey 



crop in southern California is still held by pro- 

 ducers. A large per cent wa.s disposed of thru the 

 Exchange, remainder thru brokers and retail stores. 

 The Exchange still has some sage and alfalfa honey, 

 but the orange is all sold. Condition of the bees 90 

 per cent. Lack of moisture in the form of early 

 rains makes honey plants backward. — L. L. An- 

 drews. 



CALIFORNIA. — Only a small amount of honey 

 is still held by producer. Condition of bees 100 per 

 cent; condition of honey plants poor for lack of 

 rain. Bees working on willow broom, and in some 



