HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 



23 



bees have changed hands and the new holders know nothing 

 of their performance the past season. Only about half those 

 reporting colonies of bees reported any honey production. 

 The figures for the different States are shown in Table VI. 

 The returns of the reporters of the Bureau of Crop Estimates 

 indicate yields much higher, being for the five years, 1913 to 

 1917, inclusive, 40.6, 32.2, 42.3, 52.8, and 40.3 pounds, 

 respectively. The figures by States are shown in comparison 

 with the census averages in Table VI. These figures, how- 

 ever, represent to a considerable extent the production of the 

 colonies belonging to the reporters, which would naturally 

 be above the average, because the reporters are in the main 

 producers of honey on a commercial scale, using modern 

 methods and giving proper attention to the bees, with the 

 natural result of increased yields. They represent also, in 

 large proportion, beekeepers who are not farmers. The 

 latter, usually handling bees as a side line, are able to give 

 them attention only when their main occupations are not 

 pressing. Unfortunately, general farm work is usually press- 

 ing at the time when bees must have attention if good honey 

 crops are to be secured. It will be seen by reference to 

 Table VI that the highest yields, year by year, are secured 

 in the Western States, including those of the Pacific coast, 

 and especially Cahfornia, the North Central group, particu- 

 larly those of the northern tier, the Middle Atlantic group, 

 Florida and Texas. The Southeastern States possess poten- 

 tial resources for heavy honey production, but modern 

 equipment and practices have yet to be generally introduced 



there. 



Table VII. — Honey production. 

 (Unites States Census.) 



State. 



Honey produced in year stated. 



1859 



1879 



1909 



Maine 



New Hampshire 



Vermont 



Massachusetts... 

 Rhode Island... 



Connecticut 



New York 



New Jersey 



Pennsylvania 



Delaware 



Pounds. 



314, 685 



125,142 



212, 150 



59, 125 



5,261 



62, 730 



2,369,751 



185,925 



1,402,128 



66, 137 



Pounds. 



155,640 



56,944 



142,932 



25,299 



6,290 



32,158 

 896,286 



60,636 

 796,989 



33,151 



Pounds. 

 198,499 

 87,886 

 221,729 

 49,397 

 8,397 



100,378 

 2, 088, 845 



131,342 



1,415,093 



76,234 



Pounds. 



260,481 



112, 114 



379,096 



90,929 



13, 740 



130,632 

 4,281,964 



160, 310 

 2,453,424 



Pounds. 

 200,080 



89,260 

 182,278 

 109,050 



28,450 



122,960 

 3,422,497 



174, 250 

 2, 526, 202 



101,410 



Pounds. 



112, 051 



65, 038 



160,283 



96,802 



14,221 



145, 722 

 3,191,733 



152,072 



1,840,360 



62, 777 



