The Bulletin. 9 



could serve no real purpose, since in many cases the difference would 

 be accounted for by other conditions than that of the honey flow. 

 But if we take three typical counties, representing, respectively, the 

 eastern, the piedmont and the western sections, we should derive some 

 sound conclusions, since the honey plants in these three sections are 

 decidedly different, and such differences in returns as exist are likely 

 due to the honey flow. For this calculation we have taken the coun- 

 ties of Onslow, Iredell and Madison. Eliminating a number of 

 reports which, for various reasons, cannot be used in this estimate, 

 we construct the following table from those that are available, and, 

 though it is based on too few reports to be absolutely conclusive, it 

 shows about what we would judge to be the true comparison : 



HONEY YIELD IN DIFFERBNT SECTIONS. 



EACES OE VARIETIES OF BEES. 



The Italian (in its various strains) is the leading bee for this State. 

 To determine the relative desirability of the kinds, we must take into 

 account the honey yield which each produces. The leading varieties 

 are: Italians, Blacks, and Hybrids (or mixed), which are derived 

 from the crossing of Italians with the Blacks. About 100 of our 

 bee-keepers gave no estimate of their yearly yield per colony, and in 

 other cases we have been obliged to make averages between the high 

 and low yields which the same bee-keeper often reports. It is only 

 the most careful bee-keepers who actually keep accurate record of the 

 yield. 



One person who keeps Camolians reports an average yield of 64 

 pounds per hive; three who have Italians crossed with Camolians 

 report an average yield of 30 pounds per hive ; . but in both these 

 instances the number reporting is too small to warrant any conclu- 

 sions as to the merits of these breeds. It is only when we have a 

 large nuinber of reports that we can expect the general average to 

 give an accurate idea of the true conditions. For the Italians, Blacks, 

 and Hybrids we have a sufficient number of reports so that we can 

 feel some confidence in the aver9,ges which they show. We have 

 reports from 89 persons who keep Italians, 88 who keep the common 

 Blacks, and 83 who have the Hybrid bees. A number give the yield 



