Texas Beekeeping. 



77 



honey production over the extracted honey. Besides, the bees do 

 not like to build in the small compartments of the section supers, 

 and hesitate to enter them readily. This causes further delay, loss 

 of time and honey, and, as this condition results in the bees becom- 

 ing more or less crowded in the main part of the hive, which is con- 

 ducive to incite the swarming fever, the bees swarm instead of gath- 

 ering honey when the main flow comes. The result is, a gi'eat deal 

 more work for the apiarist, and a smaller average of honey per 

 colony, ranging from 25 to 75 pounds of section honey per colony. 



Bulk comb honey is sold for the average price of 11 to 12 cents 

 per pound after it is packed for the market. It must be considered 

 that one-third of the honey, in the package, is extracted honey that 

 is poured over the comb honey after the cans have been packed full 

 of this, to fill up the open spaces and make up the required weight. 

 A sixty-pound can of comb honey at 11 cents per pound will be $6.60. 

 Since 20 pounds of the contents are extracted honey at 8 cents per 

 pound, this must be deducted from the $6.60, leaving $5 for the 40 

 pounds of comb honey in the can, and we find that the beekeeper 

 receives 12 1-2 cents per pound for the comb honey. The average 

 returns per colony, for bulk comb honey under the same condition, is 

 practically the same as for the other two kinds, but the great demand 

 for this kind, and its ease of production, makes it more profitable 

 and, consequently, it is very extensively produced. Due to this 

 demand, bulk comb honey has always been sold long before the 

 winter months, and the fear of deterioration by granulation has been 

 avoided. 



While the total price received in each ease is the same, the pro- 

 duction in one is easier and cheaper, and hence the profits greater. 

 While the figures used above to compute yields per colony may- 

 not be exactly correct for all localities, they are very nearly an aver- 

 age for the main honey producing sections of Texas, and, whether- 

 they are lower or higher, the comparison would remain practically 

 the same. The prices quoted are those ranging on the average mar- 

 ket here at the present time. 



TEXAS STANDARD PACKAGES. 



Texas has its own standard size packages for honey, for both, 

 bulk comb and extracted. These 

 are all figured on a basis of 120 

 pounds, or 60 pounds, per case. 

 For extracted honey, the regular 

 60-pound square can, two to a case, 

 prevails, but friction top pails 

 and cans, formerly adopted for 

 bulk comb honey, are also exten- 

 sively used. For bulk comb honey 

 the same size of square cans, two 

 to a case, have large eight-inch 

 screw caps to admit placing the 

 comb honey in them. Twelve-poiind 

 friction top pails, ten in a ease. Sixty pound honey cans. 



