Texas Beekeeping. 119 



often that single colonies store a hundred pounds, or more, of cotton 

 honey during a favorable season. However, the average yield per 

 colony of cotton honey depends largely upon the soil conditions and 

 the favorableness of the season toward the cotton growth, together 

 with the .atmospheric conditions existing during the honey yielding 

 period, since all of these factors have an important bearing in the 

 matter of a good jaeld. The lack of any of them decreases the aver- 

 age production of the colonies. There are many factors that must be 

 considered as it does not yield nectar in all localities and under all 

 climatic, as well as atmospheric, conditions. 



Cotton honey is very light in color and mild in flavor when thor- 

 oughly ripened, and it compares well with the very best grades of 

 honey. When gathered from upland cotton, or that grown on poorer 

 soils, it has a slight amber color. When first gathered, the flavor is 

 very characteristic of the juices of the cotton plant, but changes en- 

 tirely as the honey ripens. During a heavy flow from this source 

 there is a strong scent in the apiary like that of bruised cotton leaves, 

 produced by the evaporation of the nectar in the hives. This is so 

 pronounced that it has a sickening effect upon some persons who visit 

 the apiarjr at such a time. 



Ordinarily cotton honey granulates easily, and in the granulated 

 form it is almost pur(^ white and very flne grained. 



The cotton honey flow ordinarily begins about July 1st and con- 

 tinues until frost, except when the fall of the year is a very dry one 

 that causes the cotton to stop growing and producing squares, blos- 

 soms and the growth of young leaves that yield nectar. 



DISEASES AND ENEMIES. 



Bees are subject to the attacks of a number of diseases and enemies, 

 like other forms of organized life, an>l for this reason it is necessary 

 to possess a thorough knowledge of their care in successful beekeep- 

 ing. The lack of this knowledge on the part of slovenly and indiffer- 

 ent beekeepers is a hindrance that makes them unsuccessful in the 

 bee business, and aids in weeding out this class of persons who would 

 only be a detriment to their provident neighbors in ease of an out- 

 break of disease. Most of the enemies of bees are easily dealt with, 

 and need not be feared by the average intelligent beekeeper. With 

 the diseases it is different, as these are a great menace to the in- 

 dustry. The destructive diseases are of a contagious nature and, if 

 Bot discovered in time, may result in the infection of an entire apiary 

 to such an extent that the losses therefrom may be heavy before the 

 proper treatment can be given. It is important, therefore, that 

 every beekeeper, whether engaged in the business on a small scale 

 or extensively, should make a thorough study of the various diseases 

 and maladies affecting honey bees, so that he may thoroughly pre- 

 pare to care for any infection or outbreak at the very first moment 

 it makes its appearance, and prevent wholesale infection and prob- 

 able destruction of his colonies. 



It is a mistake on the part of the beginner, as well as the advanced 

 beekeeper, to think that it will be time enough to read up on the sub- 

 ject of foul brood when the disease appears in his locality or in his 



