HONEYBEES. 7 



to 303,965 gallons, about three times the quantity imported from 

 foreign countries in any previous entire year, having a stated value 

 of approximately $124,843. Of the total imports for the year, 92,876 

 gallons came from Mexico, 164,042 from Cuba, 7,309 from Haiti, and 

 33,571 from Santo Domingo. 



In addition to the imports mentioned, this country also received 

 honey from the island possessions, that from Porto Rico and Hawaii 

 this year exceeding slightly hi value and probably also in quantity 

 the imports just mentioned from foreign countries. Hawaii ordi- 

 narily furnishes shipments to the value of $35,000; the imports this 

 year totaled $35,536. Porto Rico, by reason of the rapid develop- 

 ment of this industry in that island, increased its shipments from the 

 value of $8,018 in 1910 to $17,904 in 1911, $42,000 in 1912, $60,000 

 in 1913, $91,000 in 1914, and for the present year to $94,895. 



Practically all of this honey is extracted, and that most of it is of 

 the low grades, used by bakers and not for table use, is indicated by 

 the price of the foreign imports, which averaged during the five years 

 ending June 30, 1914, between 50 and 60 cents per gallon. The 

 pressure of the heavy supply on the markets lowered the import price 

 of foreign honey to 41 cents per gallon before December of last year, 

 and the average import price for the fiscal year just closed is about 

 41.1 cents. 



The total honey crop of the continental United States in 1909 was 

 reported by the census to be about 55,000,000 pounds; expressed in 

 terms of gallons, roughly 5,000,000. This represents production on 

 farms alone and is an admittedly low estimate even for the farm pro- 

 duction, as only a little over half of the farms showing bees gave a 

 report on honey production. It is impossible to know what propor- 

 tion of these farms failed to report honey production because no 

 honey was actually obtained from the bees, and what because of over- 

 sight, indifference, or lack of information. No record appears to have 

 been taken of the large production by beekeepers not farmers. 



Compared with the total production of the United States as reported 

 by the census, the heavy imports for the present fiscal year, which 

 from all sources probably total over 600,000 gallons, are therefore 

 about 12 per cent, though probably considerably less, if compared 

 with the actual production. Compared with the portion of the home 

 crop actually marketed, however, the percentage would be much 

 larger, and Its absolute bulk compared to the quantity of low-grado 

 extracted honey prod need here for market is so great that it has 

 seriously interfered with the marketing of the latter and, combined 

 with the financial depression in the South, where the lower grades are 

 largely produced and consumed, has forced the prices of such grades 

 to extremely low figures. The heavy inward movement of foreign 



