Bee Industry in Chile* 
Few countries in the world possess more favorable conditions 
than Chile for the production of bee-honey and wax on a large 
scale. The climate is very mild throughout a large portion of 
her territory, and the extraordinary abundance of her flora, both 
wild and cultivated, permit of an endless number of bee-hives in 
any part of the country except in the northern region and south¬ 
ern extremity, the former on account of its barren soil, due to 
lack of rain, and the latter for the opposite reason. 
Notwithstanding all these favorable conditions the bee industry 
has not yet attained a proper development, partly due to lack 
of interest on the part of farmers, but most particularly on 
account of the difficulty in securing competent persons who 
thoroughly understand the business. However, the production is 
rapidly and constantly increasing, according to the latest statis¬ 
tics. In 1893, for instance, the exports were 1,290 metric tons, 
which shows an increase of nearly 200 per cent, within a few 
years. The same can be said with regard to wax, exports of 
which were 157 and 285 metric tons for those same years, 
respectively. 
Old fashioned bee-hives are common throughout the country, 
either horizontal or vertical, varying very little in size and 
shape; nevertheless, movable bee-hives are being established 
with excellent results where properly taken care of. It is not of 
rare occurrence to see a bee-hive produce as much as 40 kilograms 
of honey per year in well-selected spots. As a rule bee-hives are 
placed in open air without any protection whatever, because of 
the mild climate throughout a large portion of the bee zone. 
The growth of the flora is only interrupted during two or three 
months in the year, so that the bees pass the winter easily, and it 
is exceptionally rare when they must be artificially fed. The 
flora throughout the bee zone is extremely varied and abundant, 
besides the meadows and extensive alfalfa and clover fields of the 
central and part of the northern districts furnish plentiful re¬ 
sources for the bees. These plains alternate with hills covered 
with brushes and trees, which offer enormous quantities of honey 
to the bees during certain seasons of the year. 
15 
