STATUS OF APICULTURE IN UNITED STATES. 61 
making it almost impossible for the up-to-date bee keeper to sell 
his honey for what it is worth in the same community. This con- 
dition of affairs would not occur were it not for the fact that, for 
table use at least, honey does not rank as a necessity, and the usual 
causes for changes in market price do not operate so completely as 
is the case with other commodities. 
The main objection to numerous small bee keepers, rather than 
fewer and more expert ones deeply engaged in the industry, is, that 
when the larger number is interested it can not be hoped that all will 
become proficient. Under normal circumstances this matters little, 
since anyone has a right to neglect his bees if he so desires, but when 
some contagious disease is present in a region this becomes a serious 
matter. The expert bee keeper can not hope to rid his bees of dis- 
ease if there are a great many unqualified bee keepers in his neighbor- 
hood. Under such a circumstance — which unfortunately is becom- 
ing quite general in tins country — the negligent bee keeper keeps 
property which, if diseased, constitutes a nuisance, and is a constant 
menace to the progressive man, for it is impossible to tell when 
neglected colonies may become infected. 
If progress is to be made toward getting the largest possible honey 
crop from the United States, it will hardly be done by making bee 
keepers w T ho own an average of 5 colonies. It must be done by pro- 
gressive bee keepers financially interested to an extent sufficient to 
compel them to combat disease and to do their utmost to get the 
entire crop. We may not hope to attain this ultimate condition, 
but an effort might be made to discourage negligent and indifferent 
bee keeping. 
In spite of the fact that bee keeping is the sole occupation of but 
few, it nevertheless commands attention in that it adds considerably 
to the resources of the country and increases the income of thousands 
of people. The possibilities for its increase are great, and the ad- 
vancement of this vocation is a worthy object as aiming to save for 
human use a resource which is now so generally wasted. 
SCOPE OF THE INDUSTRY. 
It is very difficult to estimate accurately the annual value of the 
products of the apiary, but from various sources of information it is 
reasonable to suppose that the value of the honey produced annually 
in t lie United States is on the average about $20,000,000 and of wax 
about $2,000,000. Since the honey harvest depends so completely 
on various climatic conditions affecting the secretion of nectar, it is 
obvious that there is an enormous variation in the annual yield. 
As nearly as can be learned, the number of sections for comb honey 
manufactured annually by supply dealers is between 60,000,000 and 
