STATUS OF APICULTURE IN UNITED STATES. 79 



it, and to aid in this phase of the work this Bureau is arranging a 

 bibliography of apicultural papers and books. This has been begun 

 only recently, but it now contains about 8,000 titles and is growing 

 rapidly. This bibliography is in conjunction with the files contain- 

 ing the results of investigations carried on in the Bureau, as well 

 as synopses, translations, and notes on the work of others in various 

 branches of the subject. 



The greatest difficulty encountered is the finding of the way to 

 get in touch with the bee keepers to present to them the results of 

 work. Naturally the bee journals are anxious to do the same thing 

 to increase their subscription lists, and the associations to increase 

 their membership. The Bureau of Entomology has recently tried, 

 as an experiment, direct communication with all the bee keepers 

 in Massachusetts and the results are highly satisfactory; so much so, 

 in fact, that the same work is being carried on in two other States. 

 The amount of time and work that is necessary, however, makes it 

 impossible to carry out this work generally. 



Under this heading comes also the education of the public to the 

 use of honey. In most cases this must be done by the bee keeper 

 in his own locality. The average amount of honey consumed per 

 individual is now too small, and can be increased by some proper 

 means of bringing it to the attention of the public. 



When the situation is carefully studied, it becomes evident that 

 the possible annual crop of honey and wax is several times greater 

 than the present crop. If bee diseases can be properly controlled 

 and good information be properly disseminated, there is good reason 

 for considering the future of commercial apiculture as very hopeful. 

 The industry of apiculture depends on commercial bee keepers and 

 not on the bee keeper with small interests. 



u jyj.ivjLxi.xv x • 



The growth of apiculture during the past half century has been 

 remarkable and its present extent is little understood. 



Bee keeping is usually not the sole occupation, but is a side line. 



There are in the United States over 700,000 bee keepers producing 

 annually $20,000,000 worth of honey and $2,000,000 worth of beeswax. 



The average number of colonies per bee keeper is less than 6. 



The annual importation of honey amounts to about 2,500,000 

 pounds, and that of wax to about 700,000 pounds. 



The honey bee probably does more good to American agriculture 

 as a pollenizing agent than as a honey producer. 



The present sources of loss are due to swarming, winter losses, 

 waste of wax, enemies, disease, and wasted nectar. Of these sources 

 of loss, contagious diseases are the greatest and demand attention. 



