1919 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



171 



Crop and Market Report 



Compiled by M. G. Dadant 



The winter loss has been extremely small, compara- 

 tively all over the country the past year, being as low as 

 a fraction of 1 per cent, and only as high in extreme 

 instances as 12 per cent. 



Throughout the Eastern States, the South and the 

 Central West, the losses have averaged from 2 to 3 per 

 cent, with only an occasional reporter turning in 10 per 

 cent. 



It is surprising to note that the largest losses were in 

 the States of Colorado and New Mexico, where the aver- 

 age was probably from 7 to 8 per cent, and many report- 

 ers stated that the losses were as high as 12 per cent. 



There is also, in some instances, large loss reported in 

 California, mostly due to insufficient stores in the fall. 

 Other reporters in the same locality, whose bees had 

 gone into winter with a quantity of stores, came through 

 in excellent shape. 



CONDITION OF COLONIES 



In practically all of the East, Central West and South- 

 east, and more especially in Texas, colonies are coming 

 through in excellent condition. They are, as a rule, very 

 strong in bees and the only criticism is that they may be 

 short of stores, this probably due more to their not hav- 

 ing been given sufficient stores in the fall than to ex- 

 treme use of stores during the winter. 



CROP PROSPECTS 



Very probably in all the East and Central West, pros- 

 pects are not above average. Conditions seem to be es- 

 pecially favorable in the New England States and in sec- 

 tions of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The south- 

 ern half of Illinois, Indiana and all of Missouri seem 

 to be much below normal, while sections of Iowa report 

 the clover burned out last summer, and no prospects 

 ahead. 



The northern half of Illinois seems to be better, as 

 does the northern part of Iowa, and conditions in Michi- 

 gan are very favorable. 



In Wisconsin, the clover seems to have been burned 

 out last year, and prospects are not especially flattering, 

 although some reporters claim that good spring rains will 

 bring a fair crop. 



In Minnesota, and the Dakotas, the prospects are av- 

 erage, or possibly a little lower. Kansas and Nebraska 

 have fair prospects. Sweet clover prospects in the Mis- 

 souri valley are excellent. 



In the whole Southeast, the prospects seem to be at 

 least normal, and in Texas conditions are especially fa- 

 vorable. They state that they expect a better crop than 

 for several years. 



It is too early to give any indication of crop prospects 

 in the inter-mountain States, although they seem to be 

 about normal. 



The orange flow in California seems to be at least as 

 good as average, while the conditions with the sage and 

 alfalfa hardly seem to be up to normal. 



INCREASE FOR 1919 



Practically 90 per cent of the reports state that in- 

 crease will be made, and this increase varies from 20 to 

 100 per cent. Localities expecting to make the least in- 

 crease are those which experienced a short crop last 

 year, with unfavorable conditions for 1919. In the East- 

 ern States the increase will be from 20 to SO per cent, 

 whereas in the Central West it will only range from 5 

 to IS per cent. 



In the Western States many of the larger producers 

 expect to increase about 10 to 25 per cent, with only a 

 few holding off with their present number of colonies 

 owing to the expectations of a drop in prices of honey. 



HONEY DEMAND AND PRICES 



Contrary to our prediction in the crop and market 

 page for January, there remains considerable honey on 

 hand, and much of it will probably be carried over until 

 the new crop is harvested. 



Practically all of this honey, however, is in the hands 

 of the dealers, only a small percentage of our reporters 

 claiming any large amount on h nd. 



Practically every reporter states that honey is in poor 

 demand, and this is re-echoed by the dealers who are 

 having very few calls for honey, and these from the regu- 

 lar users who were in the habit of buying honey regu- 

 larly. 



The outlook, therefore, for the supply of honey now 

 on hand is in foreign markets. There is some satisfac- 

 tion in the statement of the Bureau of Foreign and Do- 

 mestic Commerce that there was sold during February to 

 foreign buyers, almost 2Y 2 million pounds of honey, as 

 against \ l / 2 million pounds during the same period in 1918. 

 This goes to show that the foreign buyers are taking 

 honey freely, although, of course, they are getting it at a 

 much less figure than during the previous year. The 

 large exports are probably due both to the lower price 

 and to the facility with which export permits are issued 

 for foreign shipments. Then, too, the rate of freight and 

 insurance has dropped a great deal, making the freight 

 costs very much less than they were during last Febru- 

 ary. 



All markets are bare of comb honey at present and 

 one big distributing house states that they could dispose 

 of several cars if it were to be had. 



With the large number of beekeepers now producing 

 extracted honey, we would not recommend discarding 

 comb honey equipment for extracted. In fact, prices of 

 the two may not compare unfavorably for the comb 

 honey producer during the coming year. 



CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT. 



Advertisements in this department will be 

 inserted at 15 cents per line, with no discount! 

 of any kind Notices here cannot be less than 

 two lines. If wanted in this department, you 

 must say so when ordering. 



BEES AND QUEENS 



"Silk SUITS ME" Italis 



from May 15 to Octobe 



each. Allen Latham, X 



ueens, $1.15 each 

 ,; 10 or more. $1 

 'ichtown. Conn 



CLOVER and heartsease honey, fine flavor, in 

 new 60-lb. cans, at 23c. 



Edw. A. Winkler, Joliet, 111. 



FOR SALE— Apiary of 100 strong colonies 

 equipped for xtracted honev. fine location; 

 500 full-depth supers. 100 shallow supers, 120- 

 acre homestead, relinquishment goes with the 

 bees; everything new and in fine condition. If 

 interested, write for complete list and price. 

 J. B. Douglas, Box 10S5. Tucson. Ariz. 



FOR SALE— Hardy Italian queens, 1. $1; 10, 

 $8. W. G. Lauver, Middletown. Pa., R. 3. 



FOR SALE— Golde 

 $6.50; 12. $11.50. 



;. untested, 1. $1 25; 6. 

 S. A. Tyler. Emden, 111. 



FOR SALE — 1 2-lb. package of bees with a 3- 

 banded Italian oueen, for $5. 



J. L. Leath, Corinth. Miss. 



I. F. MILLER'S STRAIN Italian Queen Bees 

 for sale. Now booking orders for early de- 

 livery. By return mail after June 15. or your 

 money hack. Northern bred, for business. 

 from my best superior breeders; gentle, roll 

 honey in, hardy, winter well, not inclined to 

 swarm; leather color or 3-banded. Queens a 

 specialty; 25 years' breeding experience. Safe 

 arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Untested. 

 $1 ; li. $5.50; IS. sin. Select untested, $1.25; 

 6, $6 .75; 12. $12. 



I. F. Miller, Brookville, Pa., R. R. No 2. 



FOR SALE — One of the best queen breeders 

 in the U/nited States is now raising queens 

 for us from selected stock of leather-colored 

 Italians. We offer warranted oueens at $1 

 each, or $90 per hundred. Tested queens $2 

 each. Satisfaction and safe delivery guaran- 

 teed. Queens ready May 25. Order now, as 

 our supply is limited. 



The Foster Honey & Mercantile Co., 



Boulder, Colo. 



THE EDSON APIARIES will have a 

 of A No. 1 laying Italian queens aft 

 1, leather colored or goldens; prices i 

 ble. Address Edson Apiaries prior to 

 Biggs. Calif. After June 1. West Butte 



surplus 

 ;r May 



Calif. 



QLTEENS— Bees by the pound. 3-banded and 

 golden. They are hustlers, gentle to handle, 

 cap their honey white, are very resistant to Eu- 

 ropean foulbrood. Booking orders now one- 

 fourth down, balance at shipping time. See 

 January "ad" for prices on bees by the pound. 

 Quote nuclei f. o. b. here, 2-frame nuclei, 

 $4.50; 3-frame nuclei, $6; 1-frame nuclei with 



1 lb. extra bees. $4.50; 1-frame nuclei with 



2 lbs. extra bees, $6; 2-frame nuclei with 1 

 lb. extra bees, $6. No discount on nuclei. Se- 

 lect untested queens, $1.50 each; 25 or more, 

 $1.35 each. Tested queens. $2.50. Select 

 tested, $3. Free circular giving details. 



Nueces County Apiaries, Calallen Texas. 



E. B. Ault, Prop. 



FOR SALE — For spring delivery — Colonies of 

 Italian bees fine strain, with tested queen, 

 in 1-story 8-frame single-wall hives, full 

 depth, self-spaced, Hoffman frames, nearly all 

 wired, $10 each. A few colonies in 10-frame 

 hives, $11 each; all free from disease; f. o. 

 b. here. . „ „ ._ 



Wilmer Clarke, Earlville, Mad. Co., N. Y. 



