132 



GLEANINGtS IN BEE CULTURE 



IVtARCH, 1921 



HONEY MARKETS 



The situation is just about as it has been 

 — -neither better nor worse. When the buy- 

 ers' strike is over (and it can not last much 

 longer) we may expect a much better de- 

 mand for honey as well as all other commodi- 

 ties. We would advise beekeepers not to ship 

 to the big markets, but dispose of their 

 honey locally as far as possible. Some bee- 

 keepers have done well in selling in five 

 and ten pound pails. They have disposed of 

 their crops and have helped to advertise the 

 value of honey as a food in their own local- 

 ity. What some have done others may do. 

 U. S. Government Market Reports. 



SHIPPING I'CIINT INFOR^rATION, 



SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES.— 

 Wire inquiry light, general market conditions very 

 un.settled, with lower prices and weak tone, still 

 lower prices expected by many. Eastern buyers re- 

 luctant to order solid carloads, and mostly cars are 

 consigned to be sold in small lots by brokers in the 

 large markets. Independent shippers hesitate to ship 

 unsold, due to uncertain conditions in consuming 

 centers. Nominal quotations f. o. b. usual terms. 

 l)er lb.: White orange blossom 14-15c, white sage 

 12-14c, light amber sage 10-12c, white alfalfa 10- 

 11c, light amber alfalfa 7-8c, ;jvhite Hawaiian 8c. 

 light amber Hawaiian 6c. Beeswax, sacked in less 

 than carlots, 33-35c per lb. No comb honey will be 

 availal)le untii new crop comes on in September. 



INTER-MOUNTAIN REGION (COLORADO 

 AND IDAHO). — Extracted honey moving slowly in 

 les.s than carlots, and little comb being shipped. Comb 

 honey is being offered around .$6.75 per 24-section 

 case in large lots, and extracted sweet clover and 

 alfalfa at 10-llc per lb. Shipments are only a small 

 fraction of last year's and a large holdover is ex- 

 pected, as beekeepers refuse to sell at prevailing 

 prices. Some organizations are endeavoriug to di.s- 

 pose of their stock by sales direct to the consumer. 



OTHER SECTIONS. — In the Catskill Mountain 

 district it is reported that less than 10 per cent of 

 the crop remains in hands of the beekeepers, altho 

 in the central portion of New York State the pro- 

 portion is said to be .somewhat larger. Most sales 

 at this time are made direct to the consumer in 

 glass jars and small pails. Wisconsin clover is said 

 to be still held for 18c per lb. Western white sweet 

 clover and light amber alfalfa is generally quoted 

 around 10-llc per lb., f. o. b. .shipping points. 



TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. 



BOSTON. — 1 car Porto Rico arrived since last 

 report. Comb honey in light demand but steady. 

 Porto Rico honey in good demand and practically 

 cleaned up. Almost no demand for other extracted 

 honey on account of low jjrices for Porto Rico stock. 

 Comb: Sales to retailers. New York, 24-section cases 

 white clover No.l, heavy, $8.50-9.00; light, $7.00- 

 8.00; Vermont. 20-section cases white clover No. 1 

 heavy, $8.50; light, $7.50. Extracted: Sales to con- 

 fectioners and bottlers, Porto Rico, amber per gal., 

 80-85c; California, white sage, very few sales 18c. 

 Beeswax: Few sales of foreign wax and almost none 

 of light domestic. Inquiry is mostlv for cheap 

 waxes. Sales to floor wax, candle and shoe polish 

 manufacturers, domestic light, 32-35c; African., 

 dark. 17-20c. 



CHICAGO. — No carlot arrivals since last report. 

 Supplies liberal, movement very .slow, due appar- 

 ently to mild weather and easier sugar situation, 

 market tone very weak and most sal«? in small 

 lots, most stock now arriving on commission. Ex- 

 tracted: Per lb., sales to bottlers, Iowa, Montana. 

 California, white alfalfa and sweet clover mixed. 

 14-14 i,ic; light amber alfalfa and sweet clover 

 mixed 13c. Comb: Sales to retailers, Colorado, Mon- 

 tana, Minnesota. 24-section cases alfalfa and clover, 

 heavy $6.50-6.75; light and leaky, $4.50-5.50. Bees- 

 wax: Receipts since last report approximate 1 car 

 from Oklahoma, Texas. South America, and Africa. 

 Market very weak and movement draggy. Foreign 

 wax in.iuriiig market. Sales to wholesale druggists 

 and harnessmakers, Oklahoma and Texas light. ?yC\c : 

 dark, 26-28c. Imported, dark. 25-26c. 



CINCINN-YTI. — No carlot arrivals since January 

 31. Light 1. c. 1. receipts. Demand and movement 

 poor, market unsettled. No record of sales avail- 

 able. 



CLEVELAND. — No arrivals since last report. 

 Little interest being shown, demand being mostly 

 from retail trade for bottle or package goods. Ex- 

 tracted: Quotations to bakers, 60-lb. cans small lots 

 western white sweet clover, lO^^ to 20c per lb. 



DENVER. — Arrivals light, demand slow, move- 

 ment very light. Sales to .iobbers, extracted : Colo- 

 rado, white, 13c; light amber, 12V&c; amber, 12e. 

 KANSAS CITY. — 1 car California, 1 car Oregon 

 arrived since last report. Supplies liberal, demand 

 and movement slow, few sales, market weaker on 

 both comb and extracted, prices slightly lower. 

 Sales to jobbers, extracted: California, light amber 

 alfalfa, 14-15c per lb. Comb: California, 24-section 

 flat cases light amber alfalfa. No. 1, $6.00-6.50. 



MINNEAPOLIS. — No carlot arrivals. Quotations 

 direct to retailers, supplies moderate, demand and 

 movement slow, market weak, season practically 

 over. Trade showing very little interest in earlot-s 

 and would be difficult to move another car even 

 with marked drop in price. California and Minner 

 sota white clover, 17-18c; western, dark amber 

 offered low as 12c. ComVi : Supplies light, demand 

 and movement slow, market dull. Western, cases 

 24-section No. 1. alfalfa and sweet clover mixed, 

 $8.00. 



NEW YORK. — L. c. 1. receipts from New York 

 moderate, from California light. Demand and mover 

 ment very light, market dull ; bottlers, confection- 

 ers and bakers doing practically all the buying; most 

 sales are on South Amerian and West Indian 

 stock, as California honey is .still considered too 

 high. Sales to jobbers, large wholesale grocers, con- 

 fectioners, bakers and bottlers. Extracted: Domes- 

 tic per lb., Californias, light amber alfalfa and 

 white alfalfa, prices slightly higher 12-13c; few, 

 13 %c; white orange blossom and white sage, 15-16c, 

 few 17c. New York, sweet clover, 14-15c; few 16c: 

 buckwheat, 12-13c; imported, West Indian and 

 South American, refined, 5Vfe-6c; few high as 7e 

 per lb.; best, 60-65c : some low as 50c per gallon. 

 Comb: No sales reported. Beeswax: New York and 

 foreign 1. c. 1. receipts moderate. Supplies moderate, 

 demand and movement slow, market dull, most 

 sales being made to mrmufacturers and bleachers. 

 Sales to jobbers, wholtwalers. and manufacturers. 

 South -American, AVest Indian and European, light, 

 best, 26-28c; slightly darker stock, 20-25c; dark, 

 18-20c; New York light, best, 28-30c. 



PHILADELPHLV. — No arrivals. No sales or pur- 

 chases being made of either comb or extracted the 

 past two weeks. Beeswax : Supplies liberal. Slight 

 improvement in inquiry noticeable, but very little 

 business being transacted. Sales to manufacturers. 

 South American and European, red, 18c. 



ST. LOUIS.- — Comb: Very light receipts reported. 

 Supplies moderate but adeqtiate. Movement very 

 limited and confined entirely to sales in small lots 

 to retailers. Market shows no activity and is weak- 

 er. Sales to retailers, Colorado, 24-sectiou cases, 

 white clover and alfalfa No. 1, heavy, mostly 

 around $7.00. Extracted : Very light receipts re- 

 ported. Supplies liberal and adequate, practically 

 no demand or movement, market very unstable and 

 weaker. Sales in small quantities to retailers in 

 5-gallon cans, per lb., Missouri, Arkansas and Mis- 

 sissippi, light amber various mixed flavors, 12-14c ; 

 California, light amber alfalfa, 10-12c. Beeswax: 

 Receipts and supplies light.. Practically no move- 

 ment, market weaker, few sales in small lots to 

 jobbers and manufacturers of floor wax and comb 

 foundations. Missouri, -Arkansas, and Mississippi, 

 light, 23 %c. 



GEORGE LIVINGSTON. 



Chief of Bureau of Markets. 



Opinions of Producers. 



Early in February we sent to actual honey-pro- 

 ducers in California and the South the following 

 questions : 



1 . What is the amount of brood and Ijees in the 

 hives as compared with normal ? 



2. Is the amount of stores in the hives sufficient 

 to carry the ciilouies thru to the main honey 

 flow? 



:^ . What is tlie (-oii<litinn of the early uectiir and 

 pollen plants? 



