1919 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



211 



Crop and Market Report 



Compiled by M. G. Dadant 



CONDITION OF BEES 



Bees throughout the country seem to be in at least as 

 good shape as last spring, but in many instances they 

 have run short of stores. The mild winter has been re- 

 sponsible for using up a larger amount of stores and the 

 bees have also bred up faster in spring, so they are 

 stronger. Where not liberally supplied with honey, bees 

 in many places are in a starving condition, and it will 

 take considerable feed to carry them through until the 

 first flow comes. This should be done, however, or brood- 

 rearing will cease, and the bees will dwindle by the time 

 the honey-flow begins. 



HONEY CROP AND PLANT PROSPECTS 



Throughout the whole of the East, and portions of the 

 Central West, conditions are at least up to last year, 

 and in many sections very much better. Illinois has very 

 poor prospects, especially in the southern half, as does 

 southern Indiana and some sections of Iowa and Mis- 

 souri. Otherwise, conditions are very favorable for a 

 good flow. In the West, it is too soon yet to make any 

 guess, and in California prospects hardly seem to be up 

 to normal. In Texas the conditions are very much better 

 and the beekeepers there are looking for a good crop and 

 a return to normal conditions, after many unfavorable 

 years. 



In the Southeast, conditions are about as good as last 

 year, possibly a little better. 



HONEY CONTRACTS 



There seem to be no honey buyers in the field as yet, 

 as all markets seem to be well supplied with honey 

 from last year's crop. One association is announcing to 

 its members that they expect to be able to handle the 

 crop at the price of IS cents for amber extracted honey 

 and a price of about 20 cents for bulk comb honey. 



STIMULATING HOME MARKET 



In nearly all cases reporters stated that they were go- 

 ing to do their best to stimulate the home market and 

 try to sell as much honey locally as possible. This will, 

 no doubt, have a great deal of effect upon the prices in 

 the larger centers if strictly adhered to by a majority 

 of the beekeepers. In larger honey-producing sections 

 where the population is not so scattered, there will be 

 very little in the line of local sales. But in all of the 

 East and Central West this action should dispose of a 

 large amount of honey which would thus be kept out of 

 the larger markets. 



WHAT WILL THE HONEY PRICE BE? 



No association, except the one previously referred to, 

 has given any intimation as to the price they will give for 

 honey this year, although all members of associations 

 seem to be very optimistic and feel that their association 

 will sell for the highest figure possible. 



There are many individual reports coming in that the 

 beekeepers expect to realize a price of at least 15 cents 

 per pound for extracted honey and in many cases the 

 reporters state that they will not take less than 18 cents. 



From the tone of reports, beekeepers are going to in- 

 sist that they get a good price for their honey, and if 

 they co-operate properly and do not throw large quanti- . 

 ties of honey upon the market regardless of price, it is 

 possible that the price can be maintained at a fairly high 

 level. 



With sugar selling at retail for from 11 to 13 cents per 

 pound, there is no reason why honey should drop very 

 much. Other food commodities have dropped very little 

 and in many instances they have advanced. This is in di- 

 rect opposition to the earlier statements that food prices 

 were bound to drop right along. 



The large honey markets still seem to be very well 

 supplied with old crop honey, but in all instances it is 

 commanding a fairly high figure, very few sales being 

 reported at less than IS cents, many of them from 16 to 

 19 cents. 



The report from the Bureau of Markets shows that 

 there has been considerable honey shipped to foreign 

 markets during the month of April and the shipments go 

 to practictlly all of the European countries, instead of 

 only to the British Isles, as earlier in the year. New ar- 

 rivals in the New York markets are mostly from the 

 West Indies and are commanding a price of from 12J4 

 to IS cents per pound. When we figure that much of this 

 honey is of a rather low grade, it does not seem to the 

 writer that we should be much in fear of local honey 

 going very slow. 



It is, however, a peculiar condition just at present, 

 and very likely the beekeepers themselves will have more 

 to do with the honey prices during the coming year than 

 ever before. A glutting of the market is bound to reduce 

 the price, whereas a careful study of market conditions 

 by each beekeeper or association and a careful selling of 

 the produce should have the desired effect. 



Two or three reports have come in indicating that 

 there is a fear on the part of some that honey will sell as 

 low as 10 cents per pound. Other prices do not warrant 

 such a low price for honey, but such might be possible if 

 the attitude of beekeepers was to sell at any figure. 



Why Not Save Some Money on 

 Your Reading Matter? 



Every reader of the old American Bee Journal is familiar with 

 the three great publications of the Curtis Publishing Co., I am sure. 

 Here they are : 



Ladies' Home Journal (monthly) $1.75 



Saturday Evening Post (weekly $2.00 



Country Gentleman (weekly Farm Paper) $1.00 



All three, one year, for 



Add American Bee Journal for one year 



$4.75 

 $1.00 



$5.75 



But I will send you all 4 of the above for an even $5.00 



Send me a list of what magazines you want and I will quote you 

 a price that will save you some money. I would be glad to hear from 

 my old friends of the American Bee Journal, and any new ones, too. 

 I will appreciate your patronage. Address 



h— 



GEORGE W. YORK, Sandpoint, Idaho 



QUEENS 



Quirin's Improved Superior Italian Bees 

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H. G. QUIRIN, Bellevue, O. 



