A SURVEY OF BEEKEEPING IN NORTH CAROLINA. 9 



The survey indicates that the demand for sourwood honey will 

 continue to be much above the supply for a long time, as it has the 

 preference locally over any other kind. When its qualities become 

 known beyond the locality of production, the demand may be greatly 

 increased. 



PROFITS OF BEEKEEPER. 



The receipts from a colony of bees range from nothing to $20 or 

 more per year. Such a statement only shows what such combina- 

 tions as a good beekeeper and a good season on the one hand, or a 

 poor beekeeper and a poor season on the other, will do. 



Careful inquiry and investigation of the amounts of honey secured 

 and the prices obtained by the best producers of the different types 

 of honeys show that the receipts per colony from the production of 

 comb honey is $5 ; of extracted honey, $4.50 ; of strained honey, $2.50 ; 

 of bulk comb honey, $7.50. It is well to bear in mind that these 

 returns are obtained only by those who are giving bees considerable 

 attention. Hundreds of those having bees are receiving almost 

 nothing from them, except a little honey of inferior quality for 

 home use. 



PROPOLIS. 



The propolis in the swamp district of North Carolina is gray, 

 does not stain the section, is not abundant, and is easily removed, all 

 of which favor comb-honey production. It is reported that this 

 propolis is gathered from sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) , and 

 when chewed it resembles chewing gum. 



LITERATURE. 



Few of the beekeepers of North Carolina are making good use of 

 the available bee literature ; in fact, few have a book on beekeeping 

 or read a bee journal. 



In 1908 Sherman issued a stimulating bulletin 1 which was rather 

 widely distributed among the beekeepers. This, so far as known, 

 is the only publication dealing specifically with the problems of the 

 North Carolina beekeeper. 



BEEKEEPERS* ASSOCIATIONS. 



A few years ago there was a small society of beekeepers in the 

 western part of the State, but no definite data on the present status 

 of the association could be secured. Inquiry also reveals a desire 

 among the more advanced beekeepers for a State organization of bee- 

 keepers so that meetings can be held and their peculiar problems dis- 



1 Sherman, Franklin, jr., 1908. Beekeeping in North Carolina. Bulletin of N. C. Dept. 

 of Agr., vol. 29, no. 1. 



