UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



1 BULLETIN No. 325 



Contribution from the Bureau of Crop Estimates — y--', 



LEON M. ESTABROOK, Chief J&?* < $ks{* 



Washington, D. C. T November 26, 1915 



HONEYBEES: WINTERING, YIELDS, IMPORTS AND 

 EXPORTS OF HONEY. 



By Samuel A. Jones, Chief, Division of Crop Reports. 



CONTENTS. 



Wintering, 1914-15 1 



Condition and honey yields, season 191.5 3 



Imports and exports of honey 6 



WINTERING OF HONEYBEES, WINTER 1914-15. 



The data included in returns from about 650 honey producers in 42 

 States, covering 80,000 colonies of bees, including full reports from 

 the important honey-producing States, bearing primarily upon the 

 wintering of bees and showing the losses and causes thereof for the 

 past winter, are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. 



While the figures are believed to be fairly representative and trust- 

 worthy, this can not be assumed in all cases, as some States producing 

 considerable honey failed to furnish enough reports to give full confi- 

 dence in the State average. 



It will be seen by reference to column 1 that bees entered winter 

 quarters in good condition, notwithstanding the poor soason in much 

 of the country. Two factors probably contributed largely to this 

 result, the first being that in States where little surplus honey was 

 stored in the spring and early summer many beekeepers refrained 

 from removing honey from the hives, and the second that the fall 

 nectar flow was generally good, permitting the colonies to build up 

 and affording sufficient supplies for winter. 



It will be seen by reference to columns 4 and 5 that tho avorago 

 quantity of honey on hand at the beginning of winter was genorally 

 in excess of what was assumed by the beekeepers reporting to be 



NOT*,-— This bulletin will \,c fouri'l of iril.f.Tf; ;l. lo beekeepers and dealers in bee products. 

 9050°— Bull. 32.5—15 



