Honeybees and honey production in the Un UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BULLETIN No. 685 Contribution from the Bureau of Crop Estimates LEON M. ESTABROOK, Chief shington, D. C. Vv June 20, 1918 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION IN THE a UNITED STATES. By S. A. Jongs, Chief, Field Service, Bureau of Crop Estimates. CONTENTS. Page. Page. | Map indicating distribution of colonies Form of honey produced .............. 27 . of bees in the United States......... 2 | Color of honey .......-......--.-2020555 30 Extent of industry..........-..-.-2--- 4| Market ...............--..- digev - 382 » Dependability of tables ............-... 5 | Supply and prices............ ood 35 « Colonies of bees in the United States... 8 | Sources of pollen and nectar .. --- 48 _ Increase by swarming ......-/.......-. 10 | Nectar sources for surplus honey .. ---. 53 ’ Wintering bees ........---0-.---22000-+ 11 | Geographical distribution and charac- TOBSES oda rome aise URN a th oees 15| teristics of important honeys........ 54 Yields of honey per colony ......----.- 22 | Production of 1917................----- 58 , ‘Total production of honey ............. 25 | Conditions and prospects for 1918...... 59 pe honeybee is the primary conservationist. Supple- menting its extremely important service of promoting the pollination of important food and feed crops, it elaborates from the nectar of the plants thus benefited one of the most delicious, nutritious and readily digestible of all foods. The fact that the most important work of the honey bee is not | the production of honey, but the carrying of pollen from § flower to flower, thus assisting in the fertilization of plants ' and assuring their fruitfulness, is not always appreciated. Growers of early cucumbers under glass find it necessary to ) install hives of bees in their hothouses to insure their crop. & A rainy, cold spell during fruit bloom, keeping bees from i: flying,’results in little fruit that season. Many people are & not aware that they are thus dependent largely upon these | busy and sometimes intrusive insects for the fruitfulness of their orchards and gardens. The work of the bees is | important not only to the produemon of tree fruits, but to 36093°—18—Bull. 685—1 2 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. full seed or fruit production of a number of forages and grains, berries, and vining plants such as the squash and its rela- tives, not to mention many ornamental plants and trees. Many other varieties of bees than the honey producing kind and a multitude of other insects assist in the work of trans- ferring pollen from plant to plant, but the honeybee is probably the most important single agent, certainly so in the case of fruit trees. MAP INDICATING DISTRIBUTION OF BEES. The map printed herewith, showing the distribution of bees in the United States according to the 1910 census, indicates within reasonable limits where bees are most numerous, but some features require a brief explana- tion. The map shows only bees owned and reported by farmers, omitting the great number of colonies kept in towns or in outapiaries by professional beekeepers, thus making a relatively heavy showing in the more purely rural portions of the country. The large number of bees indicated in the Southeastern States and particularly in the Appalachian section, while reflecting an undoubted fact, carries an impression stronger than the facts warrant, partially because the territory is predominantly rural, but more because in that region the colonies are, to a greater extent than elsewhere, kept in small boxes, kegs, and similar receptacles which limit the size of the colony and cause heavy swarming. This latter fact tended to further exaggeration because at the time the census was taken swarming was well advanced in the South though hardly begun in the North. The great importance of beekeeping in the sage and orange sections of southwestern California, the alfalfa and sweet- clover sections of other Western States, the clover belt of the North Central and Northeastern States, in the cotton, horse-mint, and desert plant sections of Texas and in the belt of tupelo and mixed bloom of the coastal plains adjoin- ing the south Atlantic and Gulf coast, are all readily ob- servable. The great development in certain regions subsequent to the census, as in the Imperial Valley of California (the southeastern section of the State), in southern Idaho (Twin Falls region), and elsewhere, is, of course, not indicated. HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. ‘SALVLS GALINA AHL NI AYNLIND 33a 4O ALISNSG DNIMOHS dV SIUNMOD AT Qt IAS N/ RLYNOUSOIOHAS SLOT AD ¢ ‘O16! SNSN3O saLvis- a3aLINn s3aa¢q 4 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. EXTENT OF INDUSTRY. The importance of the honey industry in the United States is realized by few, even of those who have given some atten- tion to the subject, owing to the fact that the census figures, which are naturally looked to for information, report only concerning the bees belonging to farmers, whereas a large and increasing proportion of the honeybees of the country, producing a still larger proportion of the honey crop, belong to beekeepers other than farmers and are located in villages and towns, or, by permission of the farmer or landowner, are kept in out-of-the-way places on farms or hidden in the recesses of the hills, away from frequented roads where they would be readily observed. Surveys of the beekeeping in- dustry in Massachusetts and Indiana indicate that the census included hardly more than half the actual number of colonies of bees in those States and checks on honey production show similar deficiencies in other States. The census reports indicate for 1910 a total of 3,445,006 colonies, which, if accepted as representing the number on farms, though it is certain that not all such were recorded, may be taken to indicate in the hands of farmers and all others certainly not less than 5,000,000 colonies, more prob- ably 6,000,000, and possibly more. Leading commercial honey authorities estimate the number to be much higher. The production of honey in 1909, according to the same authority, was approximately 55,000,000 pounds. That this is far below the facts is certain. The average yields indi- cated by the census reports are about 16 pounds in 1909 and about 15 pounds in 1900, whereas the average yields as reported to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by honey pro- ducers are about 40 pounds per colony. Only a little over half the farms reporting bees gave any figures on honey production to the census enumerators. The proportion that actually produced no honey is unknown, but the actual yields per colony on farms must have been considerably higher than those indicated by these imperfect returns to the census enumerators. The honey producers’ reports are more nearly representative of the commercial producer, who often, and probably as a rule, is not a farmer, and it may be safely assumed that the average production per colony of bees not belonging to farmers is considerably HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 5 higher than of those belonging to farmers. If the most _, probable figure mentioned, 6,000,000 colonies, be accepted as representing all colonies of bees in the United States and the average yield be considered as 25 pounds, which appears conservative, this would account for a total production of 150,000,000 pounds of honey. An inquiry of leading manufacturers of beekeepers’ sup- plies concerning sales of 1-pound sections, with a conserva- tive allowance for those produced by small firms and indi- viduals, indicates for the season of 1917 a total of about 55,000,000 such sections, and for 1916 and 1915 about 53,000,000 and 45,000,000 sections, respectively. If we accept the common assumption of 1 pound per section, and allow 5 per cent for wastage of empty sections, this would indicate a production of about 52,000,000 pounds of comb honey in 1917. Reports to the Bureau of Crop Estimates from a list of over 5,000 honey producers indicate that the proportion of comb honey in 1-pound sections to all honey obtained from the bees is about 38 per cent. While this figure reflects the facts for the men reporting to the bureau, it is known to be too high if applied to all honey produced, especially in many Southeastern States, where a true return for all beekeepers would show much higher figures for ‘““chunk” honey and lower for comb as well as extracted. A figure for the United States of 33 per cent of comb would be nearer the truth. If this figure be applied to the indi- cated production of comb honey, it would point to a total production of about 158,000,000 pounds. Commercial honey handlers consider that the proportion of comb honey is much lower, which, if true, would mean a corresponding increase in the indicated total production. The leading commercial authorities in the United States on honeybees and honey production estimate that the total production is considerably in excess of 200,000,000 pounds. DEPENDABILITY OF TABLES. In presenting the material appearing in the following tables it should be stated that so much of these data as are drawn from the reports to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by its list of honey producers are of varying degrees of de- pendability, according to whether the cooperation in the 6 BULLETIN 685, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, different States has been full or incomplete. For most of the States data are fairly complete, and for the important producing States of California, Texas, Colorado, all of the North Central group except North Dakota and most of the Central Atlantic and North Atlantic groups they are good, particularly for the years 1916 and 1917. From the States of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon responses have been relatively few and the figures given are therefore to be accepted with reserve. TaBLe I.—Honeybees in the United States. Number of colonies : i of bees on farms | Spring count of colonies, year stated, in per (United States cent of previous year. (Report May 1.) census). 1914 com- aa pared | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 June1, | Apr. 15, | the | pared | pared | pared | pared | pared 1900, 7010. | usual | with | with | with | with | ‘with in pre- 1913. | 1914. | 1915. | 1916. | 1917, vious years, Per Per | Per | Per | Per Per Number, | Number. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. Main eweijcss sais ecicicicciew 10, 857 7,592 98 99 100 107 106 85 New Hampshire...... 5, 520 4, 644 94 96 103 100 115 85 Vermont..........---- 12, 836 10, 215 98 98 96 115 105 75 Massachusetts........- 8,381 7, 464 + 95 96 101 115 106 70 Rhode Island......... 1,681 1, 267 99 99 100 105 105 95 Connecticut......-..-. 11, 438 9,445 85 92 110 85 112 75 New York..... Bi iekeesiaies 187, 208 156, 360 102 103 90 109 110 80 New Jersey........... 14, 118 10, 484 100 103 98 90 106 73 Pennsylvania........- 161, 670 124, 815 95 98 96 100 110 65 Delaware.......-..--- 10, 187 6, 410 100 101 98 103 95 85 Maryland.........-.-- 28,013 23, 156 96 100 102 97 108 70 District of Columbia. . 59 TEE te eaaccapneit nis oN aena aes N Cet ndabodl lence tal @asmisiony Virginia ss cccesiiccisi 139, 064 104, 005 98 100 106 100 100 77 West Virginia......... 111, 417 110, 673 99 101 95 102 100 75 North Carolina........ 244, 539 189, 178 101 103 102 94 96 8s South Carolina........ 93, 958 75,422 100 100 101 100 100 115 Georgia.........------ 187,919 130, 549 95 98 100 98 110 120 Florida .:0:. cenisceceen. 39, 753 38, 895 101 103 100 100 96 115 OIG: seat ose cece eee 151, 391 98, 242 105 108 98 98 108 65 AN GIANG 5 vita aosecuee 117, 148 80, 938 110 115 90 102 112 70 TUMNOI8: wc. ni53 ceeionccse 179,953 155, 846 97 100 92 105 118 80 HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION, 4 Taste I,—Honeybees in the United States—Continued. Number of colonies of bees on farms | Spring count of colonies, year stated, in per (United States cent of previous year, (Report May 5 census). 1914 State. SarpA Par | 2914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 com- | com- | com-| com- | com- sue ga 15, ae pared | pared | pared | pared | pared . * tnumber with | with | with | with | with re- 1913. | 1914, | 1915, | 1916. | 1917. lous years. Per Per | Per | Per | Per Per Number. | Number. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. | cent. Michigan..........-... 100, 397 115, 274 101 103 104 98 106 | ’ 80 Wisconsin...........-. 106, 090 95, 638 100 105 103 101 103 96 Minnesota.........-..- 45,877 56, 677 100 105 102 115 96 108 TOW scssscegesoesneess. 138, 811 160, 025 105 115 94 117 105 85 MISSOUNTE oc oeeeeisriesiens 205, 110 203, 569 90 93 86 115 112 83 North Dakota......... 279 495 110 105 105 120 125 120 South Dakota......... 2, 063 6, 565 105 115 105 120 95 95 Nebraska......-..-... 52, 143 45, 625 95 97 92 150 112 93 Kansages ciecesendicca 88, 594 73,737 85 90 100 108 108 96 Kentucky-.-.......-...- 203, 820 152, 991 115 110 102 105 107 70 Tennessee....-.-.----- 225, 788 144, 481 100 115 102 80 108 88 Alabama.... 205, 369 135, 140 105 105 101 105 108 115 Mississippi... 95, 257 74, 350 94 95 100 103 92 96 Louisiana............. 35, 231 29, 591 93 96 96 105 106 115 TEXAS: wrewcnanwsemoncuy 392, 644 238, 107 115 112 115 94 95 74 Oklahoma. .......-... 1 20, 137 19, 413 107 110 99 103 109 100 Arkansas......-.-----+ 111, 138 92, 731 99 100 92 102 88 105 Montana....-...------ 1,801 6,313 120 110 125 112 88 125 Wryoming...-........- 1,020 4, 596 106 110 120 112 112 125 Colorado. .......-.---- 59, 756 71, 484 115 120 101 103 100 107 6, 164 10, 052 110 115 115 108 103 98 18, 991 23,770 115 110 110 108 96 100 33, 818 26, 185 110 105 105 98 80 112 5, 692 8,401 110 105 100 105 75 112 19, 240 21, 903 150 130 105 115 60 135 Washington.....-..-.. 30, 870 33, 884 108 105 103 100 110 115 Oregon....------.--++- 55, 585 47, 285 110 108 98 95 95 105 California.........-..- 129, 444 201, 023 85 93 110 104 92 95 United States...| 4, 108,239 | 3,445,006 | 100.4 | 104.2) 101.4 | 102.9} 101.5 88.7 1 Includes Indian Territory. 8 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. COLONIES OF BEES IN THE UNITED STATES. The first census to make inquiry concerning the number of colonies of bees on farms in the United States was the twelfth, which reports the number of colonies belonging to farmers on June 1, 1900, to be 4,108,239. The next census (1910) reported 3,445,006 on hand as of April 15, 1910, but the last showing is unfairly low even compared with the first, because the date of the last census is 45 days earlier than the former and at a period of the year when the number of colonies is increasing rapidly from swarming. Making allowance for this difference, the number in 1910 should perhaps have been about 3,700,000 colonies. It seems unquestionable that the number of colonies of bees in the hands of farmers did actually decline in the intervening 10 years, which had not been as a rule favorable for honey pro- duction and had also been marked by considerable losses of bees from diseases of the brood, which often destroyed whole apiaries, containing sometimes hundreds of colonies. The period of the Nineties preceding the census of 1900 had, to the contrary, been favorable for bees, aside from disease in some sections. However, the report of the 1910 census represents more nearly than the former one the customary basis of number of colonies as recognized by bee keepers, namely, the spring count, i. e., the number of working colo- nies of bees remaining on hand (excluding new swarms of the current year), at about the settled beginning of the spring nectar flow, which, for the country at large, would average about May 1. The changes in numbers of bees since 1910 may be fol- lowed in a general way by a study of the percentages of increase shown in connection with the census figures just quoted in Table I. The bureau’s first inquiry, made on May 1, 1914, asked concerning the number of colonies com- pared with the usual. The usual, being the average of the preceding few years, would represent figures in all proba- bility very close to those of the census year 1910. The responses indicated an increase over the usual of 0.4 per cent and an increase over 1913 of over 4 per cent, which would point to a small decline subsequent to 1910, before the beginning in 1914 of the upward trend which has been HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 9 observed in each succeeding year. The total increase since 1910 to the spring of 1917 appears to be not far from 10 per cent. This growth has been largely within the ranks of the professional honey producers, those making this a principal business, rather than among the farmer beekeepers, not fully represented in this estimate, who, for reasons men- tioned later, quite possibly have less rather than more bees, certainly so in many sections where bee diseases have invaded new territory. TaBLE II.—Honeybees: Per cent of total swarming, by months. Proportion of total annual increase of colonies in— State. March. April. May. June. July. | August. Per cent. | Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. Maines .ccccecccesecseecycs ae 7.3 50.1 38.7 3.9 New Hampshire. . ... Lar é 9.7 48.5 28.3 13.5 Vermont......--.------++-6- 5.8 59. 2 31.3 3.7 Massachusetts......----.--.--|---.2----- 14 20.8 47.1 21.2 9.5 RHO Tela’. .:2:.5:- ise nies cere at beme den bdensecdee 5.0 80.0 15.0 | cnceescee Connecticut...-..------------[ee----eee- 5 25.4 49.7 21.7 2.7 New FOr Rew cnenensiawran ewes 9.5 54,4 28.5 7.6 New Jersey - 29.4 48.5 11.8 9.3 Pennsylvania. eee ~ 19.7 58.3 15.8 5.5 Delaware... ..-.----------++-+ 37.0 50.0 8.0 5.0 17 45.4 42.0 9.3 1.6 3.9 45.7 39.3 10.5 -3 1.0 26.2 45.5 25.6 1.7 12.2 49.6 30.6 6.9 5 56.6 35.9 Bed: | catinislaisialacllisteisioeseieex 60.1 24.8 4.4 2.6 2.4 Plorida.ccse. cccceneeserscews 33.2 38.8 15.3 8.8 1.8 2.1 ODO waisivis ewer ciseidiace Salsserereisre a nietremioaiats 7 21.3 56.1 20.6 2.3 sigs 4 2.5 20.4 59.0 15.2 2.9 PUM OS soa scrcdsmpncies nase intense 2 18.0 58.5 19.0 4.3 3.9 56.9 34.3 49° 5.5 58.4 30.7 5.4 4.5 55.0 33.8 6.7 TOWA Heisisistesinct te ccoejesckeunsl te eeeeie 5 10.7 69.1 25.4 4.3 Missouri... .....------eeeeeee lees eee e eee 3.6 26.7 47.6 16.6 5.5 North Dakota.....-.-----..--|.-.-----+- aweaueece 5.0 51.6 36.7 6.7 South Dakota....... tig wciewrsiere (Ape cae ena Rea wswme 7.8 44,1 35.1 13.0 Nebraska sexe is 13.7 51,2 27.7 7.4 Kansas........ a ee fs 27.3 46.9 17.4 7.5 Kentucky. 33. 4 51.9 11.4 2.6 36993°—18—Bull. 685——2 10 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste II.—Honeybees: Per cent of total swarming, by months—Contd. Proportion of total annual increase of colonies in— State. March. | April. May. June. July. | August. Per cent.| Per cent.| Per cent.| Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. TOMNCSSCO si ui2ie oo. ote westcuronae arogae reas 9.6 51.7 30.7 6.1 1.9 Alabamae.. ie sees hesjeileedee 4.7 37.0 32.5 19.0 1.8 5.0 1.8 45.4 30. 4 15.0 6.5 9 5.8 42.5 28.8 13.2 71 2.6 11.1 38.1 28.3 14.4 4.6 3.5 47.7 35. 2 10.2 2.8 40. 4 25.0 3.8 6.5 9.6 38.4 42.3 9.7 2.5 22.0 53.0 22.5 11.8 34.9 37.8 14.8 34.0 31.1 15.4 15.8 31.0 12.0 4.0 5.0 16.1 49.4 27.8 6.7 50.0 33.0 5.0 1.5 9.8 50.0 35.7 4.5 27.0 42.1 21.5 6.9 28.5 52.1 10.6 3.6 Califormitieic:2 cnccteace cesses 5.9 41.7 31.2 12.1 6.4 2.7 United States.......... 3.5 16.4 25.1 36, 2 14.8 4.0 INCREASE BY SWARMING. The net changes in number of colonies from year to year is the balance between the increase by swarming, natural and artificial, and the losses. The annual primary increase by swarming must, to offset the losses, average between 15 and 20 per cent of the number of colonies, not counting the swarms that escape and establish themselves in hollow trees, rock cavities, etc. The number so escaping must be quite large, but can not be determined. Most of the increase is by natural swarming,but as this often reduces the production of surplus honey, there is an increasing tendency among bee- keepers, amounting to a practice among a large part of those who make this a regular business, to prevent natural swarm- ing during the main nectar flow, in order that the bees may devote all of their energies to the gathering of honey. Pro- vision for increase in number of colonies, if desired, is made HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUOTION. 11 later by the method of artificial swarming, which is, simply, division by the apiarist, after the removal of the honey sur- plus, of one strong colony into two or more, which are then allowed or assisted to build up in number and store supplies, so that by winter they may be strong colonies. The results of an inquiry concerning the per cent of the total swarming, natural or artificial, occurring each month is shown in Table II. In Florida, Arizona, California, and Texas, and occasion- ally in other States along the southern edge of the country, a few swarms will sometimes issue in February. It may be seen that swarming begins quite generally along the Gulf coast and in Arizona and Texas in March, becomes heavy in these States in April, continues there with lessened intensity during May, in which month it begins strongly throughout the central tiers of States and slightly in the northern tiers, In June it largely terminates in all the southern group, but reaches its maximum in the Central and Northern States. During July swarming continues heavy in the far Northern States and in the elevated portions of the Southerly and Western States, while in August swarming is limited, except in a few localities. Swarming occurs in September in certain sections where there is a heavy flow of nectar that month, such as the swamp sections of northern Indiana, although for the country as a whole and for all States swarming is practically over by the beginning of that month. WINTERING BEES. The provision made in the way of fooa supplies and extra protection for wintering, bears directly upon the rate of loss. Inquiry was made concerning winter food requirements of bees and the winter protection given, and the results are shown in Table III. Since the heaviest, and quite possibly the majority, of losses are due to starvation, inquiry has been made regularly in November concerning the supply of honey in the hive for winter, and the results are shown in this table. These last figures can not, unfortunately, be taken to reflect the average for all colonies. but more nearly that for colonies in the possession of progressive and pro- fessional beekeepers. These figures show that while con- BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 12 oF 9€ 0€ ae ge SEO iy epBaenl seseees eee segBa coos: @oO7TIY 77> QorKeyy MON, “ByoXBC WInog “77 BRORBC THON corees ss “TIMOSsTyy * "BACT needeenssisenein Se wigpsrerea 38 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. business the untrained and indifferent beekeeper, who is unable to successfully combat them, opens the field to the man capable of overcoming them, who is usually also a deeper student of the entire subject of bees and of their care and protection, better informed on sources of nectar, dates of flow, etc., and is therefore able to handle the bees with a view to maximum honey production. But as honey becomes a main crop, and its sale the main source of income, closer attention is drawn to cost of production. Modern equip- ment must’ be purchased and the product prepared in an attractive manner. The commercial producer is not able to sell his product for less than the actual expense of pro- duction and continue in the business, as is the practice with many who produce honey in a desultory way. The present exceptional demand, due to the shortage of sugar arising from war conditions, has raised the price of honey to a figure unheard of during the present.generation and may be expected to result in some increase in bee- keeping, although the general high range of prices, which affects all products that the honey producer himself must purchase, to a considerable extent offsets this increase in the price of his own product. If the importance of honey as a food, particularly valuable to children and to those with delicate digestions in lieu of the less readily digestible sugars, candies, and confections, and its high merit for use in preparing savory cakes and other foods, as well as in giving palatability to humble articles of fare, should be properly realized and a demand established at permanently adequate prices, a very great increase in the country’s supply of this delicious food product might be realized through the inducement thus afforded to competent persons to engage in honey production on a commercial scale. The usual prices received by producers at their local markets in the month of September, being the rate for small wholesale lots and including many retail quotations, as reported to the Bureau of Crop Estimates by a list of local dealers, are shown in Table XIII, and are fairly representa- tive of the average range of prices shown by the reports for other months of the year. The small effect upon these HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 389 prices of the varying production of honey in different years is noteworthy, as is the sudden increase in the present year, which had its beginning in the latter part of 1916. In con- nection with these, wholesale figures are also shown, being those quoted by the special list of honey producers, of prices received in 1917 for honey in quantities of 1 ton or over, the extracted in barrels or 5-gallon tin cans and comb in cases of twenty-four 1-pound sections. These last figures probably contain some quotations for quantities of less than 1 ton, but are believed to fairly represent the strictly wholesale prices for delivery at local shipping points. The narrow margin between the former figures, which verge closely upon the average price when sold by producers at retail, and the wholesale price, is striking, reflecting the slowness with which most honey producers, disposing of and often retailing their products in local communities, take note of the prevailing wholesale prices in the main markets, many still adhering to their traditional retail figure when practically the same price might be obtained wholesale for their entire product. TaBLe XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods. Clovers. i \ Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. State. Alfalfa. White and Alsike. | Sweet (Melilotus). MalN@ ose. ceccendoasue shee eed Seeneee ote owe June 18 | Aug. 1] July 20] Aug. 20 New Hampshire.........2....).-..2222- [eee ee ee eee June 15} July 20 |..........).-.-..... Vermon tac. teciascdnedinn Sscecisclasaccnse-e| Sete sees OUne 134 Taly 16 esecesnyelceegs ces Massachusettsicee.e sescecececg|sciewestcnn|eeaceeniees June 10 | July 15 | July 10 | Aug. 25 Rhodo Wslan isn: <4). sc osememerl aoa haeeoun| ste caessies JUNE 10 TOY? 1B | cccaiscc.3 lises sods (Connecticut sci; <.c.ccudesigsee. laeatarence pesteeetes June 7| July 8] July 8j Aug. 25 INOW VOR oc ceo we eee esc ene aera eendlemmnintey June 15} July 15] July 12] Aug 21 New Jersey oe. neheainoesscoccel acceaiuiees | smeaseenes June -8 | Tuly DOs dens cease ‘Pennsyl Vania. os cesses ae este eee sara ececierttesstene June 6| July 15 }........-.]-.2-.-... Delaware Maryland Viteinin.csexvesvannuns wieed West Virginia. 40 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and closing of blooming periods—Continued. State. Clovers. Alfalfa. White and Alsike. | Sweet (Melilotus). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. Georgia Florida North Dakota................. South Dakota Nebraska.........--... Tennessee..........222--00220. Alabama.........22.....0..00- Mississippi...............2.... Louisiana........-.....00220.. Wyoming - Colored 0 we.isasce cass coseeecs HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUOTION. 4l TABLE XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. Trees.) State. Decider fruit rees.? Basswood (linden). Gums. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. Connecticut New York.. North Dakota South Dakota... Dexgs 5 occracecsintenswaenccas Apr 16 | Apry 25 |scossseecc|eeeeeeconsfenesennoteereentnes 1 Black mangrove (Avicennia), Florida, June 20 to J uly 25. Cabbage palmetto (Sabai), Florida, June 13 to July 15. Saw palmetto (Serenoa), Florida, May 10 to June 15, ‘Orange: California, Mar. 22 to May 5; Florida, February to March. Maple: January in south Florida, February in Gulf Coast States, March south of latitude of Maryland and April north of it, and into the first half of May in the northern tier of States. 3 Principally apple; Georgia, peach, Mar. 1 to Apr. 1. 3 Tupelo on the Gulf coast blooms in March, and other gums mostly in April. 42 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen, average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. State. Trees. Deciduous fruit trees. Basswood (linden). Gums Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. May New Mexico.............---.-- Apr. 10!) Appr 28 eia.oc.saseeialerainie. cpcee erties AweSe lsc everest APIZ0N Os aoe ods decades cioanee Mak 10.) ADI. VS Wives co cela wecenicl ccs second | emanate a tah vecceen cereus arees tas Appr. 20 | May 10: | sicievsiaseie case etteraeaisrats ior ecenatatatacsissre einiercracersits INGV Ada vied Sr raverncwess ce See Get hncedes Catania | ationte eiaia.aisl Baicisiaieearhiael jsboea lee eile ial a aise de cie old ae oaeelaia Tdaho siweseceies zoe eosamiosetes May 8:) May 89 ewss eocanclecssnseced |: cane eee caee Washington...........-.------ pre 15: ] May 15: basic ccpjouseiceisaresitee| cours vetata|s ea ered OTERO 2. ce ce se shee csehaioeis Apr. 16 PIUNS: 16 osnerecca ss eiciecnuldeass ash] padeaness California. .......-.-.--..---+- Beds QE: ‘Agr s 18) |esssceonaetsloxeehearensts| eetans sovietd eee es den Trees. State. Holly (Ilez opaca). eae Persimmon. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. MAINO: jst csacecrsin seein ses awe seienernis (ba owee sate | aan tees Saseeace lus daa edie bGmode ees New: Hampshire aso 5 eciyesiteelle sy cendinstenl tra ratsvore-cistatdcl etiaueldina walle og acon ss Perae ace c ecemers os Vermont..........-. Massachusetts. Rhode Island................- Connecticut New York..... New Jersey.....-.- Pennsylvania. ... Delaware...........--..--22-+- Georgia. .... stale icles ousralevavaccinynres ‘ BOTS s eae ie.. sisead ws steeds HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 43 TABLE XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. State. Trees. Holly (Ilex opaca). cae Persimmon. Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. North Dakota, South Dakota June 10 May 22 May 15 California......2.......-....-- June: 80) | Ave? 220: sce 2 cciiceal| ssi ceimemeatscsjacesaulloinadexcen Trees—Continued. Shrubs.1 Sourwood. Tulip poplar Gallberry State, (Oxydendrum). (Liriodendron). (Ilez glabra). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin, End. MGING sis ojasecteciacamarcenscimece oe tae are desis hed Sees oa eho Saas | Moreton | cece kes Peed alae De SUS oe oa) cs aso ee gee oh pate orlene vo sewessles ay deems eae suai eg RumEmE oS Vermont ved sccictset ictesstevete Sterteaisin | easosees Gale 2G das tNS lus Aare asiSe'ledyacentneren Seca eras Araceae MRSS TIES crsccn ic lesan de nem eee ya Sacacd ed Soe Oh AAR Re meee E aaa ena ull act Rhode Islands tes 5 sn2 seers semnacenice todas ate asic cee Se ae fadia ei bele eee [parntowenwt liars eerie 1 Mesquite (Prosopis): Texas, first flow Apr. 15 to May 15, second flow June 15 to July 15; New Mexico, single flow May 6 to July 1; Arizona, single flow Apr. 15 to May 18; Nevada, singleflow Apr.20to June1. Catsclaw (Acacia greggii), Texas, Apr. 20 to May 16. Guajilla (Havardia), Texas, Apr. 20 to May 25. Sage (Ramona), California, Mar. 1 to July 1 (mostly April, May, and June). Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum), California, June 10 to Aug. 1, Gall- berry (Ilex glabra): Florida, Mar. 25 to May 6; Georgia, Apr. 27 to May 28; North Carolina, May 20 to June 13. ‘44 BULLETIN 685, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUBE. -Tasiz XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming pertods—Continued. Trees—Continued. Shrubs. Sourwood Tuli, lar Gallberry Btate. (Onplendrum). | (Lirkatendron). (Ilex glabra). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End, Connecticut..........2-.2- 022 efew cece eee fe eee eee neon eee eee efe cee e eee eefereercerse[estereee: New York........------2--+++ New Jersey.....-..---------+- Pennsylvania Delaware...........--.---.--+- Qeor gles .s2'feccdseedincennced Florida HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 45 Tasre XIV.—Principal plants Jurnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continued. Shrubs—Contd. Miscellaneous.! Raspberry (Rubus State. Sumac (Rhus). strigosus and Buckwheat. other species). Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. End. July 20} Aug. 15 Aug. 1 Sept. 1 Aug. 1{| Sept. 1 Aug. 1]{ Aug. 25 Connecticut.............--.... New York wsiccesccccvevscvanes New Jersey......... Pennsylvania Delaware............2...000008 ? North Carolina... . ao South Carolina...........-.... North Dakota... South Dakota. Kentucky cass essecnactictacnce onder seeeereeiehee eer ee che cere oeeneeseue 1 Cotton, principally July and August throughout the cotton belt. Horsemint ( Monarda), Texas, May 10to June 27. Pennyroyal ( Hedeoma), Florida, November to February. Part- tidge pea ( Chamaecriste fasciculata), Florida, July to September. Spanish needle (Bidens, Coreopsis), North Central States, late August tolate September. Fire weed or willow herb (Chamaenerion angustifolium): Idaho, July 15 to Aug. 30; Michigan, July 15 to Sept. 15; Minnesota, Aug. 15 to Sept. 20; Oregon, July 1 to Oct. 1; Washington, July 1 to Aug. 30; Wis- consin, Aug. 15 to Sept.20, Dandelion, during May in most Northern and Western States. 46 BULLETIN 685, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Taste XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming periods—Continned. Shrubs—Contd. Miscellaneous. Raspberry (Rubus State. Sumac (Rhus). strigosus and Buckwheat. other species). : Begin. End. Begin. End. Begin. | End. MONNGSS60 as s:58 ais sesicsissce Ja] soee ves vel eade eae Meet eee eestes cs eee eee HAT Be Oi Bi pees cs tetees anette steeciniscs. Sa aed ee Stave ots | neaitzlera wae eal] s Menaeeeesl ater leve tl eet oGS Ste] ee aiESE = BESS DI visceccccccinamaim nina tlw nineaetiallinined yaGteefid Aeceeaetpoqaceee sh eae GANS eoeRess DT Gtiisiana on scree saceonciesee se en Peseta acct ee oe Hee a oe ee [t eetininis oe as Sete SESE State. Miscellaneous—Continued. Fall flowers.1 Heartsease or heart-weed ( Polygo- num persicaria). Begin. End. Begin. End. New Hampshire VOrMoOn ti siorsz.sciaweeionstinciguitis Hecieesiaeseictisgieningeitee Massachuset tSweencceens oe scceneccmeaieceteeeen es ct Rb Odo Aslan diss ssycrieniernpdecrcnnianiseewan heels COMME CHHOUE ss. cicsiscce-toceitecioeecapanatadeceadrats oie NOW VOrkae scvcngess terntcemeonasete cousentteascay ING We JOLSOY os wisteiesocttecyreilcnatieenne Mister aie eins PONS VIVANIB son cere ceteeus ome eeeaie cece Delaware 1 Fall flowers, principally goldenrod and aster, former about a week earlier than latter, HONEYBEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION. 47 Tasie XIV.—Principal plants furnishing nectar and pollen; average dates of beginning and ending of blooming pertods—Continued. State. Fall flowers. Miscellaneous—Continued. Heartsease or heart-weed (polygo- num per sicaria). End. Begin. End. North Dakota ss isscisgosccaactct cesta neesisceemieastenas South, DakOtaiec.c..irc ccicrasnieelcw cope msicceinniaensaeieess Nebraska =. oxsese es conve ueeseeeieeeaceenin Kansas..... faietn isitea bier eicts sla rretsisanerectneilasi eee A WON TUCK Ys is, easier Aaee nie otra eee maisieeedascuuaawed New Mexico Arizona Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. BE Vis ngwecssndomemnevia 48 BULLETIN 685, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIOULTURE. SOURCES OF POLLEN AND NECTAR. The honeybee derives its supplies from the. successive bloom of a great variety of trees, shrubs, and cultivated and wild plants and flowers, of which the family of the Legumi- nose is by far the most important. Many plants that are not sources of surplus honey are of great importance in the economy of the hives, furnishing the necessary supplies of pollen and nectar to enable the colony to increase the num- ber of bees and thus build up its strength in the spring and to carry it through the winter or through periods of light honey flow during thesummer. The average dates of bloom of the most important plants in the different States are shown in Table XIV. The dates given are only rough approximations, being merely the averages of the dates reported from the different States, and the bloom may be earlier or later in portions of patticular States, especially those of large area or great diversity of climate. TaBLE XV.—Sources of surplus honey. Clovers. Trees il 3 BS a |3 g = oe 3 5 S. S (Ss ate. g e OL: e = d a3| a |~e/38 SS}. je) /8 [22] £ lets ;leielsl2/2]& l2°] & [3s] 88 gleiPleieleleie |2 ie la a d a FQ gq |x & |a 2 P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P.ct.| P. ct.) P. ct.) P. ct.) P. ct.| P. ct.| P. ct. MAING is csscieceqessscicinene| sieasroie 6.0] 1.0} 53.3] O02) S.O}...... Bed! loovcosleaqeactan caer New Hampshire.....|......]..----]....-- B20 AGB ‘| arein's aio aveiassiend orsisie eee eraibraie.e | seidiaieral ences Vermont 2occeesssessl sorceclovand|saesses 40.8 |...-.. BiB frecsicne) Se tte | sare telloetesc| ec cess Massachusetts.......|..---. FSH], EL 255 Ba] M28 oh, DG pecan aise | rrsinciat wevsiicaie | brarsteinal aware sts Rhode Island.......)......|.--.--[..---- 1030 *jcyaiers 2 I ateveiees [Bisisis far | orerssaystal| craid-cios sl Sanared sai as Connecticut.........}..-.-. V2) vaya 20.3} 44] 3.5 ]...... Do onset nae 2s New York.........-.]...-.. 1.6] 2.1 | 30.2 -6] 99 )...... eB lcossisel outta agence New Jersey..........]..---- V2 e) BSS ATaS: [esses aeceeeleenices SB rac si baa ais ord 15 Pennsylvania.......|...... Qed Wocteaed 13.1 AB] ORT cisrnatcicl Sinaesciall caine aiallooearee un oens Delawares...5 22226) cnssce|es saselesance 48.0] 2.0] 2.0}...... 20: iciosenll sic 5.0 Maryland...........|.....- 3.1] 1.9] 26.0 8] 2:0 lesen. B21. saci sae Oi 15.6 VAT EIB oie vijay ccrecheeceacedl ved asia ree 26.7) 1.2] 3.0]....-. 3.4] 14] 12.2 7.8 West Virginia.......].....-).-....)-...2- 26.8 | 1.1] 10.7 |..-... aiitl| dhasenged 3.5] 10.3 North Carolina... ...|......]...--./-....- 6.0} 10} 5.0] 60] 20] 1.2] 10.0 8.5 South Carolina......}......[.-22-.b0.0-. b BAO ceatsceiatell