Sept. 21, 1899. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



597 



(5,354,000 pounds) were exported from Cuba. Of this 

 amount 4,300,000 pounds were shipt to the United States, 

 but almost all was shipt in transit to European markets, 

 only a very small percentage entering the American mar- 

 kets. 



According to the same authority only 1,404,845 kilo- 

 grams (3,090,000 pounds) were exported in 1895. This large 

 falling off in exports is easily explained by the fact that in 

 February of 1895 the revolution commenced in the eastern 

 provinces, and the writer's own practical experience with 

 an apiarv of 300 colonies demonstrated that the honey-yield 

 was considerably under the average — caused by the cool 

 northeast winds which prevailed during the height of the 

 carapanilla bloom. 



With a very few exceptions this must be considered a 

 natural and spontaneous production, as the bees receive 

 very little care, the only physical exercise required being 

 to put the swarms into empty boxes, and place a 

 palmetto leaf on top weighted down with a stone. The 

 mental exertion required in studying up better methods for 

 their management was considered entirely superfluous. 



The native Creole or box-hive consists of a box about 

 4 feet long and from 8 to 12 inches square inside, and open 

 at one end. Where lumber is scarce, hollow logs are sawed 

 off and used in the same way. The hives are placed in an 

 almost horizontal position, only being- inclined enough to 

 keep the water from running in at the entrance or open 

 end. 



The old adage, " There's nothing new under the sun," 

 is strikingly proven in this case, for here it is that revers- 

 ing is carried to perfection. When a swarui is placed in 

 one of these long boxes, the bees take up their abode in the 

 spot most suited to their fancy, generally near the middle, 

 leaving a vacant space at each end. As the honey-flow 

 commences the bees naturally build comb and store the 

 honey in the closed end where it is better protected from 

 outsiders. The first extracting takes place during the lat- 

 ter part of December, when the board is knockt off the rear 

 end, and the honey cut and pulled out with long hooks. 

 After this operation, the hives can be turned around and 

 the other end closed up, the extraction of the other end 

 taking place during the latter part of January. Two, and 

 sometimes three, extractions are made during the season, 

 besides a " I'impieza," or cleaning up, given the bees in 

 August or September, when some honey and considerable 

 wax is taken from them, thus reducing the opportunity for 

 the moth-worm to get a hold on them. 



It can be seen that altho the honey-flow is very bounti- 

 ful, only a limited amount of honey is obtained on account 

 of the bees not having any place to store it. 



Taking into consideration the waste consequent upon 

 such a crude system in manipulation, I think an aver- 

 age of three gallons of honey per hive to be a conservative 

 estimate, and if we can place any reliance on the statistics 

 of honey exported during the economical year of 1894, it 

 will be seen that it took nearly 160,000 colonies to produce 

 this amount. 



It is difficult to form anything but conjectures regard- 

 ing the importance and value of apiculture in Cuba, as the 

 wave of fire and death which swept across this beautiful 

 island has almost totally exterminated not only the bees, 

 but also their owners. The following instances are given 

 as examples : From the mayor of the town of Jaruco, 25 

 miles east of Havana : " I calculate that 98 percent of the 

 bees in this district have been destro3'ed since the beginning 

 of the war. There are now only four apiaries consisting of 

 250 colonies. Colonies in Creole or box-hives yield about 

 four gallons each, and those in American hives, 16 gallons 

 each." It will be remembered that this is the place where 

 the Casanova apiary was located, and which was so ably 

 managed by our late friend, Mr. Osburn, and from which 

 Mr. Somerford got the banner honey crop of Cuba. Tlianks 

 to the purifying effects of fire, the foul brood which wrought 

 such havoc in that apiarj- has been eradicated. 



From the town of Candelaria, in the province of Pinar 

 del Rio : " Before the war there were five apiaries of over 

 700 colonies each in this district, besides many others of 

 less number. There ai'e now only a few scattering colonies 

 which were saved within the town." 



From Amarillas, a town on the south coast of Matanzas 

 Province: " Before the war there were 10,000 colonies in 

 this district ; now only 90." 



From the foregoing it can be seen that at least 90 per- 

 cent of all the bees on the island have disappeared. 



Since the first of January, 1899, to July 1, over 600,000 

 pounds of honey have been exported from Havana ; of this 



amount over 500,000 pounds have been shipt direct to 

 France by the firm of Bridat, Mont Ros & Co., who, on ac- 

 count of their dealings and liberal prices, have succeeded in 

 handling almost the entire crop of honey, thus breaking 

 up a clique of dealers who formerly put their own prices on 

 the article and crowded out legitimate competition. During 

 the two preceding years the same firm exported over 1,500,- 

 000 pounds of honey, and large quantities of wax. 



There are now in the province of Havana nine modern 

 apiaries containing about 1,700 colonies, and others are 

 being started in different parts of the island. The country 

 around Nuevitas, in the province of Puerto Principe, has 

 the name of being the finest part of the island for bees, as 

 large quantities of honey and wax are brought from there 

 in coasting-vessels. From what the writer has seen of the 

 island, there is very little territory where bees do not do 

 well, unless it is where there are a great manj- sugar-mills, 

 and the surrounding country is all taken up with sugar- 

 cane, and unless the place is overstockt with bees the writer 

 thinks there are few places where 10 gallons per colony 

 cannot be obtained. 



The price in Havana markets ranges from 40 to SO cents 

 per gallon, net, the buyer paying the cost of package. The 

 crop is all handled in hogsheads of from 100 to 105 gallons 

 each. In anj- good location 300 colonies can be kept with- 

 out overstocking, and with the exception of during the ex- 

 tracting season, from Dec. 1 to March, one man can care 

 for two such apiaries, provided they are of easy access. 



There are also difficulties to be taken into considera- 

 tion, but, as all bee-keepers know, man)' of them can be 

 overcome by the judicious use of that one qualit.y — vigi- 

 lance. One of the main things necessary is to keep the 

 colonies all supplied with young and vigorous queens, 

 thereby freeing them from the ravages oif the moth, so 

 much feared in tropical countries. 



As there is no time during the 365 days of the year (ex- 

 cept when it rains) when the bees cannot get out and find 

 something to carry in, they can be increast very rapidly. 

 During the rainj' season, especially the latter part of Sep- 

 tember and October, when we are sometimes visited by 

 storms and rain which last several days, it is necessary 

 to watch the bees closely, and sometimes feed the weaker 

 colonies, for the high winds bruise and toss about the nec- 

 tar-yielding plants so much that there is a scarcity of flow- 

 ers, and those which are short of provisions are liable to 

 succumb before Nature gets back to her usual conditions. 



When the rain)' season closes in November, the flowers 

 begin to give a variety of color to the luxuriant vegetation, 

 and from then until March there is nothing to do but to 

 take out honey, as the bees store it so fast that the queens 

 are kept restricted to the lower story. In March and April 

 some honey is also extracted, but the queens begin extend- 

 ing their domains, and swarming commences, altho the 

 swarraing-fever does not get so bad here as it does in the 

 northern climes. 



Last, but not least (altho they are very small), is the 

 ant problem, which is one of the most important to the 

 Cuban bee-keeper, especially during the rainy season, for 

 they take refuge by thousands under and in the hives, and 

 often cause weak colonies to abscond. 



Another important matter to take into consideration 

 here is the cost of living^, which is at least SO percent more 

 than in the United States. With the exception of sugar 

 and tobacco (the staple articles of export) almost everything- 

 is imported ; not that the country cannot produce every- 

 thing needed, but on account of the total destruction of 

 rural wealth and the depopulation of the country, there is 

 nothing planted, and what were once productive farms are 

 now abandoned to weeds and grass. This, of course, is 

 onlj' a temporary condition which will disappear when the 

 tide of immigration turns this way. 



On Aug. 10, 1899, bee-hives were placed on the free list 

 of importations, and altho the duty on them was not ex- 

 cessive, this will doubtless give an impetus to the industry. 

 But even if Cuba does take the lead as a honey-producer, 

 as long as the duty of 20 cents per gallon remains on ex- 

 tracted honey it will not enter American markets, for while 

 Europe can pay even 40 cents per gallon, net, in Havana, 

 Cuban dealers cannot pay 20 cents per gallon duty, freight 

 and cost of package, and compete with American honey at 

 60 and 65 cents per gallon. 



So far there has been very little comb honey produced 

 here except for the home market in Havana, which is very 

 insignificant, as Cubans are not great honey-eaters. 



Campanula honey is as white and equal in flavor to 

 any in the world ; and when comb honey is put in nice 



