280 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



HONEY MARKETS 



May, 1922 



U. S. GOVERNMENT MARKET REPORTS. 



Information from Producing Areas (First Half of 



April). 



CALIFORNIA POINTS. — Outlook continues fa- 

 vorable for a heavy honey flowr. if weather condi- 

 tions are- normal. Supplies of white honey are 

 practically cleaned up, but lower grades are more 

 plentiful. Lack of export demand for amber hon- 

 eys is depressing to prices. As syrups and sugars 

 are now down in price, honey sold in competition 

 with these sweets must conform to their levels. 



PACIFIC NORTHWEST.— Honey plants report- 

 ed two weeks late but otherwise promising. Stores 

 are said to be very light, with many colonies being 

 fed. 



INTERMOUNTAIN REGION. — Heavy winter 

 losses in unprotected apiaries continue to be re- 

 ported, reaching as high as 70% in some sections. 

 Hives properly protected have come through fairly 

 well. Some pollen has been gathered, and brood- 

 rearing, which is badly needed, has started in the 

 strongest colonies. Stores are accordingly being 

 rapidly used up. Stocks of extracted honey con- 

 tinue to move fairly readily, and extracted honey 

 will probably be nearly cleaned up before the new 

 crop is ready. Considerable comb may be carried 

 over, as little interest i.s observable in this class of 

 goods. Carlot sales of white sweet clover and alfalfa 

 range 8-8 %c per lb., f. o. b., with less-than-carlot 

 sales in .5-gal. cans up to 12c per lb. The price 

 of comb is lower; carloads of fancy and No. 1 

 white reported selling at $3.00-3.50; few, $4.00 

 per 24-section case. In Arizona, colonies are breed- 

 ing up strongly. Prospects are good in this sec- 

 tion for a heavy mesquite flow, ^nd several locali- 

 ties report the flow already on. 



TEXAS POINTS. — Bees are building up and 

 many colonies are said to be preparing to swarm. 

 Mesquite in southwest Texas appears spotty. Some 

 sections report plants heavy with buds; others 

 that blossoms will be light. Other honey plants 

 said to be coming on well. Crop outlook gener- 

 ally more favorable, due to recent rains, which in 

 some areas have totaled 10 inches since last re- 

 port. Present nectar flow only enough for use in 

 the hives. Practically no sales reported. 



EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL 

 STATES. — Colonies are reported in good condition 

 and are said to have come through unusually well. 

 Bees are rather short of stores, however, and many 

 colonies will need to be fed. Prospects bright for 

 coming season. Clover has been helped by recent 

 heavy rains and is showing up well. Supplies be- 

 coming exhausted. Few sales white clover in 5-gal. 

 cans reported in less-than-carlots at 11% -14c per 

 lb., with few large lot quotations during past 

 month of 10-1 Ic per lb. Trade in bee supplies in 

 Michigan said to exceed that of most recent years 

 for March and early April. Small lot sales white 

 clover comb reported at $4.50 per case. 



PLAINS AREA. — Some colonies reported to 

 have suffered heavy losses due to lack of stores; 

 others came through fairly well. Many colonies re- 

 quiring spring feeding to prevent starvation. Sweet 

 clover prospects good if season favorable, but 

 white clover outlook not good due to lack of snow 

 during winter over much of area. Recent heavy 

 fall of snow and rain will help. Supplies almost 

 exhausted. Few sales 5-gal. cans white extracted 

 reported 10-13% c for small lots. 



SOUTHEASTERN SECTION.— The spring flow 

 is now on, but little surplus stored to date, as col- 

 ony condition generally below normal. Most colo- 

 nies are living on what they gather. High water in 

 Lousiana swamps should prolong spring flow at 

 least two weeks in that state, while Georgia re- 

 ports that rain is needed. Florida has a small 

 crop of orange blossom honey. Saw palmetto is 

 blooming in that state, but due to extremely dry 

 weather is yielding little honey. It is also said 

 to be too dry for gallberry nectar. Heavy winds 

 said to be reducing amount of bloom in Florida. 

 Demand has increased recently in some sections. 

 Few sales tnpelo extracted reported from Georgia 

 in barrels at 10c per lb. Package bee shippers are 

 beginning to get out a few early orders, but are 

 later than usual with the bulk of their orders. 



NORTHEASTERN STATES.^Fruit trees are 

 far ahead of normal, and plenty of pollen is also 



available from maples. Brood-rearing is advancing 

 rapidly. Clover and other plants generally prom- 

 ise well. Bees are said to have wintered the best 

 in years with only light losses thus far. Some 

 colonies sufficiently supplied with stores, but many 

 others must be fed liberally or heavy loss will 

 result. Very few sales, as supplies practically ex- 

 hausted. 



Telegraphic Reports from Important Markets. 



Arrivals include receipts during preceding two 

 weeks. 



BOSTON.- — Light demand and movement for 

 both comb and extracted. Comb : Sales to retailers, 

 New York, 24-section cases No. 1, white clover, 

 $6.50-7.00; Vermont, 20-section cases No. 1, white 

 clover carton stock $6.50-7.00. Extracted: Sales 

 to confectioners and bottlers, Cuba and Porto 

 Rico, amber 80-85c per gal.; California, white, 

 sage, 13% -160 per lb. ^Brokers carlot quotations, 

 delivered Boston basis, per lb., California, light 

 amber 8-9c. amber 7-7 %c. 



CHICAGO. — Demand and movement unusually 

 slow, some dealers doing practically nothing. Low 

 prices of sugar syrups given as main reason for 

 slow movement. Prices remain about the same. 

 Extracted ; Sales to bottlers, candy manufacturers 

 and bakers, per lb., Arizona, Idaho and Montana, 

 alfalfa and sweet clover white 10% -lie, light 

 amber 9-9% c; Minnesota and Wisconsin, mixed 

 white, basswood and clover, ll-ll%c; occasional 

 small sales 12 %c. California, mixed mountain 

 flowers white lie. Comb: Sales to retailers, 24- 

 section cases Iowa, clover No. 1, $4.75-5.00; No. 

 2, $3.00-4.00; Idaho and Montana, alfalfa No. 1. 

 $4.50-5.00. Beesvvax: Receipts moderate. Demand 

 and movement moderate, market has been gener- 

 ally steady for past two weeks but just at present 

 is a trifle easier. Sales to wholesale druggists, 

 laundry supply houses and harness makers, per 

 lb. California, Arizona, Idaho and Montana, best 

 light 26-29C, dark 23-25c. South and Central 

 American, light 21-25c, dark 15-17c. 



MINNEAPOLIS. — Comb: Supplies liberal. De- 

 mand and movement slow, market dull. Sales to 

 retailers. Western, 24-section cases alfalfa and 

 sweet clover mixed No. 1, $5.00-5.50; No. 2, $4.50. 

 Extracted: Demand and movement light, market 

 steady. Sales to retailers, confectioners and bak- 

 ers in 5-gal. cans: Western, light amber alfalfa 

 and sweet clover, 12c per lb ; Minnesota, white 

 clover. 15c per lb. 



NKW YORK." — Domestic receipts light, foreign 

 receipts limited. Supplies rather light. Demand 

 moderate, market steady. Extracted : Spot sales 

 to jobbers, wholesalers, confectioners, bakers and 

 bottlers, domestic, per lb., California, light amber 

 alfalfa 7%-8%c; light amber sage, 9-lOc; white 

 sage, ]l-12c; white orange blossom, 12-13c, few 

 14c; Intermountain Region, white alfalfa and 

 sweet clover, 10% -lie; New York, white clover. 

 ll-12c; buckwheat 7-8c. South American, refined 

 best, 65-70c per gal.; poorer low as 60c per gal. 

 Beeswax: Foreign receipts limited. Supplies limit- 

 ed. Demand fair, market firm. Spot sales to 

 wholesalers, manufacturers and drug trade, per 

 lb.. South American and West Indian, light best. 

 25-27c; few high as 50c; poorer low as 23c; dark. 

 18-20c; African, dark, mostly 19-20c; few, 21c. 



PHILADELPHIA. — Practically no receipts. Sup- 

 plies generally very light. There seems to be no 

 demand or movement for bulk stock but bottled 

 goods are reported meeting a fair demand and 

 prices holding firm. Beeswax: Supplies light. 

 Market again slightly stronger. Sales to manu- 

 facturers, per lb.. South American light, 25% c; 

 African, dark, 17%-18%c. 



ST. LOUIS. — Demand reported light, movement 

 slow, market quiet. Comb: Sales to retailers in 

 small lots of 24-section cases, Colorado and North- 

 western, white clover and alfalfa No. 1, heavy. 

 $5.50-6.00. Extracted: Sales to wholesalers and 

 jobbers, per lb.. California, light amber alfalfa, 

 mostly around 9c; Southern, light amber, various 

 mixed flavors, few sales, 9c. Beeswax: Ungraded 

 average country-run wax quoted nominally at 23c 

 per lb. to jobbers. 



H. C. Taylor, Chief of Markets'. 

 Special Foreign Quotations. , 



CUBA. — Honey is quoted at 40c a gallon; wax. 

 30c a quintal " Adolfo Marzol. 



Matanzas, Cuba, April 8. 



