HONEYBEES. 7 
to 303,965 gallons, about three times the quantity imported from 
foreign countries in any previous entire year, having a stated value 
of approximately $124,843. Of the total imports for the year, 92,876 
gallons came from Mexico, 164,042 from Cuba, 7,309 from Haiti, and 
33,571 from Santo Domingo. 
In addition to the imports mentioned, this country also received 
honey from the island possessions, that from Porto Rico and Hawaii 
this year exceeding slightly in value and probably also in quantity 
the imports just mentioned from foreign countries. Hawaii ordi- 
narily furnishes shipments to the value of $35,000; the imports this 
year totaled $35,536. Porto Rico, by reason of the rapid develop- 
ment of this industry in that island, increased its shipments from the 
value of $8,018 in 1910 to $17,904 in 1911, $42,000 in 1912, $60,000 
in 1913, $91,000 in 1914, and for the present year to $94,895. 
Practically all of this honey is extracted, and that most of it is of 
the low grades, used by bakers and not for table use, is indicated by 
the price of the foreign imports, which averaged during the five years 
ending June 30, 1914, between 50 and 60 cents per gallon. The 
pressure of the heavy supply on the markets lowered the import price 
of foreign honey to 41 cents per gallon before December of last year, 
and the average import price for the fiscal year just closed is about 
41.1 cents. 
The total honey crop of the continental United States in 1909 was 
reported by the census to be about 55,000,000 pounds; expressed in 
terms of gallons, roughly 5,000^000. This represents production on 
farms alone and is an admittedly low estimate even for the farm pro- 
duction, as only a little over half of the farms showing bees gave a 
report on honey production. It is impossible to know what propor- 
tion of these farms failed to report honey production because no 
honey was actually obtained from the bees, and what because of over- 
sight, indifference, or lack of information. No record appears to have 
been taken of the large production by beekeepers not farmers. 
Compared with the total production of the United States as reported 
by the census, the heavy imports for the present fiscal year, which 
from all sources probably total over 600,000 gallons, are therefore 
about 12 per cent, though probably considerably less, if compared 
with the actual production. Compared with the portion of the home 
crop actually marketed, however, the percentage would be much 
larger, and its absolute bulk compared to the quantity of low-grade 
extracted honey produced here for market is so great that it has 
seriously interfered with the marketing of the latter and, combined 
with the financial depression in the South, where the lower grades are 
largely produced and consumed, has forced the prices of such grades 
to extremely low figures. The heavy inward movement of foreign 
