HOTTEYBEES AND HONEY PEODUCTION. 



21 



to suffer the most severe losses, and such keepers are not as a 

 rule among those whose reports are included in these tables. 



While the losses under such conditions are very severe, 

 poor beekeeping is tending to its own correction, as brood 

 diseases, once they attain a foothold in a community, soon 

 eliminate the inefficient and careless beekeepers by elimi- 

 nating their bees, while the informed and attentive apiarist is 

 able to control these diseases, though sometimes only through 

 the expenditure of much time, effort, and expense. 



Losses are frequently reported as being caused by the bee 

 moth (wax moth), but it is well known to experienced bee- 

 keepers that these insects are unable to cause serious injury 

 to strong colonies. In weak or dying colonies, where the bees 

 are unable to care for and protect the comb, the moths 

 deposit eggs in the hive and its contents are rapidly destroyed 

 by their larva. Ants, to the contrary, can and frequently do 

 destroy colonies, particularly in the South. Skunks and 

 mice occasionally ruin colonies. 



Table VI. 



— Honey production: 



Annua 



I yields 



per CO 



'any. 





state. 



1899 > 



1909 » 



1913 



1914 



1915 



1916 



1917 



Aver- 

 ages 

 years, 

 1913-17. 



Maine 



Pounds. 

 18 

 16 

 14 

 13 

 17 



11 

 18 

 12 

 16 

 10 



11 

 12 

 15 

 10 

 9 



9 

 17 

 13 

 14 

 16 



Pounds. 

 15 

 14 

 16 

 13 

 11 



15 

 20 

 15 

 15 

 10 



13 

 13 

 14 



10 

 9 



7 

 19 

 10 

 8 

 9 



Pounds. 

 38 

 27 

 33 

 31 

 45 



35 

 37 

 40 

 45 

 21 



40 

 38 

 20 

 25 

 25 



30 

 50 

 50 

 60 

 60 



Pounds. 

 30 

 30 

 20 

 22 

 40 



28 

 22 

 12 

 28 

 20 



25 

 35 

 25 



28 

 18 



30 

 42 

 23 

 25 

 17 



Pounds. 

 36 

 48 

 35 

 30 

 35 



26 

 59 

 31 

 34 

 30 



22 

 47 

 33 

 42 

 23 



32 

 65 

 22 

 26 



44 



PouTids. 

 52 

 38 

 38 

 36 

 36 



33 

 65 

 66 

 54 

 36 



46 

 32 

 25 

 23 

 35 



33 



85 

 60 

 62 

 81 



Pounds. 

 35 

 38 

 42 

 26 

 55 



37 

 40 

 25 

 33 

 22 



30 

 33 

 33 

 30 

 35 



44 

 86 

 30 

 49 

 33 



Pounds. 

 38 



New Hampshire 



Vermont 



36 

 34 



Massachusetts 



29 



Rhode Island 



42 



Cnnnfip.tinnt 



32 



New York 



45 



New Jersey 



35 



PfinnsylvHTiifv 



39 



Delaware 



26 



Marylanrl , 



33 



Virfnnia 



37 



West Virginia 



27 



North Carolina 



30 



South Carolina 



27 



Georgia 



34 



Florida 



66 



Ohio 



37 



Indiana 



44 



Illinois 



47 



' 1899 and 1909 deduced from United States Census Reports, 1913-1917, based on reports 

 to Bureau of Crop Estimates from honey producers. 



