HOITEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 
23 
bees have changed hands and the new holders know nothing 
of their performance the past season. Only about half those 
reporting colonies of bees reported any honey production. 
> The figures for the different States are shown in Table VI. 
The returns of the reporters of the Bureau of Crop Estimates 
indicate yields much higher, being for the five years, 1913 to 
1917, inclusive, 40.6, 32.2, 42.3, 52.8, and 40.3 pounds, 
respectively. The figures by States are shown in comparison 
with the census averages in Table VI. These figures, how- 
ever, represent to a considerable extent the production of the 
colonies belonging to the reporters, which would naturally 
be above the average, "because the reporters are in the main 
producers of honey on a commercial scale, using modern 
methods and giving proper attention to the bees, with the 
natural result of increased yields. They represent also, in 
large proportion, beekeepers who are not farmers. The 
latter, usually handling bees as a side line, are able to give 
them attention only when their main occupations are not 
pressing. Unfortunately, general farm work is usually press- 
ing at the time when bees must have attention if good honey 
crops are to be secured. It will be seen by reference to 
Table VI that the highest yields, year by year, are secured 
in the Western States, including those of the Pacific coast, 
and especially California, the North Central group, particu- 
larly those of the northern tier, the Middle Atlantic group, 
Florida and Texas. The Southeastern States possess poten- 
tial resources for heavy honey production, but modern 
equipment and practices have yet to be generally introduced 
there. 
Table VII. — Honey -production. 
(Unites States Census.) 
State. 
Honey produced in year stated. 
1859 
1869 
1879 
1889 
1899 
1909 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Maine 
314, 685 
155,640 
198,499 
260,481 
200, 080 
112, 051 
New Hampshire 
125, 142 
56,944 
87,886 
112,114 
89, 260 
65, 038 
Vermont 
212, 150 
142,932 
221,729 
379,096 
182,278 
160,283 
Massachusetts 
59, 125 
25,299 
49,397 
90,929 
109, 050 
96,802 
Rhode Island 
5,261 
6,290 
8,397 
13,740 
28,450 
14,221 
62,730 
32,158 
100,378 
130,632 
122,960 
145, 722 
New York 
2,369,751 
896, 286 
2,088,845 
4, 281, 964 
3,422,497 
3, 191,733 
New Jersey 
185,925 
60,636 
131,342 
160, 310 
174,250 
152, 072 
Pennsylvania 
1,402,128 
796,989 
1,415, 093 
2,453,424 
2,526,202 
1,840,360 
66, 137 
33, 151 
76,234 
66, 468 
101,410 
62, 777 
