GLEANINGS IN B K E C U L T U K E 



OlTUBKR, 1921 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



average yield, of course, was considerably 

 under this high record for the season. 



The cotton blossoms yielded nectar quite 

 freely in many of the central and Pied- 

 mont sections of the State, some beekeepers 

 reporting as much as 30 to 40 pounds of 

 surplus from individual colonies from the 

 cotton bloom. 



Eeports show that in the mountain sec- 

 tions of the State the flow was far below 

 normal, as it was also in the coastal section. 

 One mountain apiary of 54 colonies reports 

 1700 pounds of lioney, about one-third 

 of a normal yield. Thru all the mountain 

 region the honey flow was light, only those 

 who practiced the best methods of beekeep- 

 ing getting any surplus honey at all. 



Estimates by those in best position to 

 judge indicate that about 40 per cent of a 

 normal honey crop is being realized by the 

 North Carolina beekeepers. Fall flowers in 

 many sections are yielding considerable 

 nectar, but this may be cut some by wide- 

 spread dry weather prevailing in many sec- 

 tions recently. 



In spite of the serious handicap of heavy 

 curtailment in honey yield beekeepers in 

 various sections are making their prepara- 

 tions for the annual honey and bee products 

 display at the State Fair in Ealeigh during 

 the week of October 17-22. There are casli 

 prizes aggregating upwards of $150, includ- 

 ing first, second, and third awards for vari- 

 ous types of lioney and bee products. K. 

 W. Etheredge of Goldsboro is again director 

 for the bee and honey exhibits, and C. L. 

 Sams, North Carolina bee specialist, is the 

 superintendent for the 1921 display. Last 

 year this division was really one of the seji- 

 sational developments of the State Fair 

 from the viewpoint of increased proportions 

 and improved individual exhibits, one bee- 

 keeper alone having installed an exhibit 

 larger, as well as finer, than the entire bee 

 and honey exhibits in previous fairs. 



This year, of course, honey, both as to 

 types and quantity, is much scarcer, but 

 several of the larger beekeepers are prepar- 

 ing to go to the fair with the most credit- 

 able showings possible, and the manage- 

 ment of this division of the big show are 

 very sanguine of scoring another decided 

 success. 



In spite of the poor lioney profits this 

 season many beekeepers are practicing im- 

 proved methods. They are requeening and 

 otherwise improving their colonies in prep- 

 aration for a ])Ossible bumper crop of honey 

 next spring. Many beekeepers, who have 

 persisted in keeping bees in old gums or 

 box hives, have at least made a start in get- 

 ting them into improved hives, even tho in 

 some cases they have made their own hives, 

 buying only the Hoffman frames and foun- 



dation to give their bees the new start de- 

 sired. The well-directed efforts of State 

 Bee Specialist C. L. Sams and the co-opera 

 tion of the State Beekeepers' Association, 

 headed by Bruce Anderson of Terra Ceia as 

 president, are piling up evidence of the ef- 

 fectiveness of persistent and well-directed 

 effort for better beekeeping. 



Wilmington, N. C. W. J. Martin. 



Tn I ousiana ^^^^ State of Louisiana is 

 now coming into her own 

 as the land of the honeybee, and this is be- 

 ing brought about by boys and girls who 

 are members of tho bee clubs and are rais- 

 ing bees according to the most up-to-date 

 methods. There are at present more than 

 350 members who are doing work under the 

 supervision of E. C. Davis, bee specialist, 

 Louisiana State University. 



It was the pleasure of the 605 boys and 

 girls attending the eighth annual boys and 

 girls' short course at the Louisiana State 

 University, July 28 to August 3, to hear E. 

 E. Eoot give a talk along the line of the 

 work he loves so well. 



While there was only a small percentage 

 of the club members jaresent doing bee-club 

 work, it is an assured fact that all of them 

 returned home with the desire planted in 

 their hearts to secure as soon as possible at 

 least one hive of bees and next year to be- 

 come a member of the bee club. 



In his talk Mr. Eoot told how greatly he 

 was impressed with Louisiana as a future 

 bee State. He said that every day he was 

 learning to change his ideas and opinions as 

 to just what is the best section of the Unit- 

 ed States to keep bees. In one of his books 

 he stated that white clover honey is never 

 produced in any large quantities in the 

 South, but coming to Louisiana he finds that 

 this clover is one of the most valuable hon- 

 ey-producing ])lants the State has. 



He congratulated the bee-club members 

 on the fact that so many of them are keep- 

 ing bees in a scientific manner, and said 

 while he had come South to speak to adult 

 beekeepers who were holding their meeting 

 at the same time, it was worth the trip to 

 "speak to children who knew so much about 

 the honeybee. 



A parade of all the club children was held, 

 each member marching behind a float repre- 

 sentative of the work being undertaken. Mr. 

 Davis decorated a float in an attractive 

 manner, placed a number of the girl mem- 

 bers upon it, and labeled it "A Carload of 

 Honey. ' ' The others marched behind bear- 

 ing banners, upon one of which was printed, 

 ' ' Governor Parker was Once a Beekeeper. 



Baton Eonge, La. Bentley B. Mackay. 



