32 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



January 



Crop Report and Market Conditions 



PASTURAGE 



At this time of the year there is relatively little that 

 can be said regarding pasturage for next year In the 

 west especially where the main crop is from alfalfa, tne 

 conditions in the spring have mostly to do with prospects. 



Throughout the north, central west and east, there 

 have been snows which are now melting and will gener- 

 ally insure against drouth of the clover which was begin- 

 ning to be feared in many localities. 



BEE CONDITIONS 



From the questions being received at this office asking 

 how to best feed bees which are short of stores there is 

 an extra large number of colonies that went into winter 

 quarters without enough food to carry them over until 

 the spring. Ordinarily this does not apply to the larger 

 beekeeper who has seen in advance that his bees were 

 supplied. Yet there are a considerable number who, 

 either through neglect or through failure to get sugar, 

 are awaiting the spring with foreboding. An acute short- 

 age of sugar in spring is not expected (see editorial), but 

 should it occur and beekeepers fail to get food for the 

 bees in spring, many bees would die outright. 



In Texas the conditions are unchanged. One of the 

 most prominent beekeepers, writing from there, says: 

 "Most of my bees will do well to drag a miserable exist- 

 ence into spring. I have talked with beekeepers from 

 adjoining counties and they tell the same story." 



Unless Texas has rain within the next month prospects 

 will be as bad as can ever be expected. 



HONEY CROP 



Practically all honey is out of the hands of producers. 

 What little is left is being held to supply local demands 

 or, likely, as a speculation to see how high the prices 

 will go. The demand on the part of foreign governments 

 has made our domestic supply the lowest in years. Then, 

 too, where the sugar shortage has been most acute, 

 honey has had to replace it. One party in the East who 



had bought considerable honey west to resell, wired to 

 the shippers to hurry shipments through, as the sugar 

 shortage was acute and honey was a necessity. 



Two large bottling firms state that they will not have 

 enough honey to supply their trade through the spring 

 and that when their available supply is exhausted they 

 will be unable to buy in sufficient quantities- to do any 

 good at any price. 



Foreign buyers are still active, although the amounts 

 they are now able to buy are not large. Prices paid for 

 foreign shipment now exceed 15 cents f. o. b. shipping 

 point for white extracted. 



HONEY PRICES 



As stated above, foreign buyers are willing to pay at 

 least 15 cents for white extracted f. o. b. shipping point, 

 in car lots. The domestic market exceeded this consider- 

 ably. One large commission firm on the Pacific Coast has 

 been offering white honey in limited quantities at 17 to 

 18 cents f. o. b. coast, with amber only a cent or two 

 lower. Prices have been going up regularly. 



Naturally retail prices have had to follow. One of our 

 staff bought a 5-ounce tumbler of honey in the South at 

 a retail store for 15 cents. 



The comb-honey market is practically bare, though 

 small lots are being offered at about $5 per case. 



INCREASE FOR 1918 



The response to the government demand for more 

 honey has been remarkable. All supply dealers report the 

 best demand in years, with many large beekeepers ex- 

 pecting to double their holdings if possible. If bees come 

 out in the spring in anything like normal condition, and 

 if the Southern breeders are not hampered by an unfavor- 

 able a spring as in 1917, there is no doubt but that the in- 

 crease in bees will be enormous, and the increase in 

 honey crop over 1917 is likely to be large, especially since 

 this has not been even a normal year. 



Uncle Sam Says 

 Eat Honey 



Save on Sugar and Help Win the War 



This will increase the now heavy demand for honey. 



It will mean money in your pocket to get a good stock of 

 KRETCHMER supplies now, before prices advance further, and work 

 your bees to the limit next season. Freight conditions may be bad in 

 the near future and cause delays. Fix up your order tonight; you 

 may forget it if you wait. 



Kretchmer Mfg. Co. 



301 Eleventh Ave. 



Council Bluffs, Iowa. 



A BOOK FOR BEGINNERS 



"First Lessons in Beekeeping," written by 

 the editor of this magazine, is intended pri- 

 marily for the use of beginners in beekeeping. 

 You should have it. Price, postpaid, $1, or 

 clubbed with the American Bee Journal, one 

 year for $1.76. 



American Bee Journal, Hamilton, III. 



YOUR PERPLEXING QUESTION 



will undoubtedly be answered in the new bee 

 book, "Dr. Miller's Thousand Answers." For 

 beginner and veteran alike. Not intended to 

 replace other bee books, but to supplement 

 them. Price, postpaid, $1.26, or with the 

 American Bee Journal one year, both $1.76. 

 American Bee Journal, Hamilton, ML 



A Business Weekly 



The beekeepers need a weekly paper, giving 

 a weekly review of the markets, crop condi- 

 tions, shipments, imports, exports and other 

 vital matters influencing the business end of 

 beekeeping. 



We have been urged to print one not a bee 

 journal, but a news bulletin). We put it up 

 to you.. If you want it bad enough to pay $2 

 for it, we will attempt it. It will cost that to 

 keep it independent of and side business or ad- 

 vertising influence 



There will probably be the largest produc- 

 tion next season the world has ever seen. Bet- 

 ter keep in touch with conditions. 



Do not send any money, but if you are in- 

 terested, give us your pledge of support and 

 we will inform you if we conclude to print it. 

 Box 225, Redkey. Ind. 



New York and New England 



Distributors of Lewis Beeware and 

 Dadant's Foundation. We are located 

 on the New York Central, West 

 Shore, Pennsylvania Railroads and 

 Rochester-Syracuse Electric Line. 

 And all Express Companies. Let us 

 quote you on your requirements and 

 mail you our 1918 Catalogue. Also 

 our Beginners' Book. 



THE DEROY TAYLOR CO., 



Newark, N. J. 



I Am Ready to Book Orders Now 

 for spring deliver} for Italian bees in pound 

 packages at $1.40 per pound. Tested queens, 

 $1.25. Untested, 90c, 6 for $5.00. Safe ar- 

 rival guaranteed. Free from disease. 



C. H. CODD, Belleville, Ark. 



