230 MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
opportunities for bee keeping in other sections. Thus far, Montgom- 
ery County is the banner county for the bee industry, with Frederick, 
Garret and Baltimore counties closely following. The distribution in 
the Western counties is about equal. This distribution explains in 
part, the occurrence of disease. The Eastern Shore, as far as known, 
is free of brood diseases, as is likewise Southern Maryland. This is 
no doubt due in part to the scarcity of bees in those regions. 
INCREASE AND Loss oF COLONIES. 
From figures received it seems that during 1908, there was an in- 
crease of 33% in the number of colonies, while during 1909 only 16% 
increase was reported, making an average of 24.5% each year. Prac- 
tically no difference in figures of increase of colonies can be noted in 
relation to territory where the bees are kept. The reported winter loss 
also does not seem to differ in the different sctions. From data re- 
ceived, it is believed that most of the winter loss in this State is due 
to lack of attention, and, in many cases, to ignorance on the part of the 
bee keepers as to the proper care of a colony prior to wintering. Often 
too great a quantity of honey is removed, and artificial feeding is sel- 
dom practised to make up for the loss. Thus the colony is weakened 
by a meager food supply, the vitality of the bees becomes greatly di- 
minished and, they are therefore, much more susceptible to cold and 
dampness during the winter. 
This condition is no doubt, also largely responsible for complaints 
against the wax moth that have been made by so many bee keepers,. 
who have cooperated by giving information concerning their apiaries. 
It is known that this moth is able to gain a foothold only in those in- 
stances where the colony has been so depleted as to render it incapable 
of overcoming the attack. Moreover, winter loss is often really due 
to disease having previously weakened the colony. The large number 
of complaints of heavy winter loss and moth depredation, would in- 
dicate that brood diseases are more generally spread in the State than. 
we even now know. 
PRODUCTION OF HONEY AND Wax. 
Calculating the average pounds of comb and extracted honey 
per bee keeper of those who have reported, and applying this average 
to the probable number in the State, the approximate annual pro- 
duction of honey is about 500,000 pounds, of which only about 15% is 
extracted. This amount does not nearly approximate the quantity of 
honey used in the State annually, even at the present limited demand 
in the markets of.our cities and towns. 
As pointed out previously, this product has not been advertised, 
directing attention to its usefulness and adaptability to the diet of 
every day life, It is believed that a larger per cent of honey should 
be extracted and put on the market in convenient .sized bottles, jars- 
and larger containers, such as quarts, gallons, etc... Undoubtedly much: 
of the honey produced in Maryland, is. too, dark.,to.,.make first class. 
