Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-02-12
: msrlcan Honey In E"x,sna.

American Honey In England.
The remarkable growth of honey
production in the United States is
leading to large expectations to
Europe of this staple. Our apia-
rists are seeking markets all round
the compass. In no section Of this
country has the business made
greater strides than In California,
aud in our own State San Diego and
Los Angeles counties have taken
the lead. 1t is only about five or
six years since Mr.. HARRISON, a
Sacramento apiarlst, removed his
swarms to San Diego county; and,
in that short space of time, not.
withstapding several unfavorable
seasons, the industry has grown to
such proportions that the San
Diego papers claim, and wo have
no doubt truthfully, chat their
county now produces more honey
than all the rest of the State put
together. Los Angeles county is
good second in the race. There is
scarcely a Gallon of considerable ex-
tent within twenty-five miles of
this city but that has from ono to
half dezsn bee ranches. "Honey
for sale, by the pound or ton," is
placarded in many places through
out Los Angeles county, and some
Of the ranchers could go far towards
loading small schooner with their
own crops.
We have lying before us copy
of the London Mail, of January
10th, in which considerable space
Is given to honey shipments to
England from the United States.
Last year 100000 pounds of honey
were shipped from New York by q
single firm. There has been much
difficulty In getting the comb
honey safely to the English mar
ket, such shipments resulting in
almost an entire loss, from break
ages. The Mail says that during
four years Messrs. H. X. and F. B.
Thurber & Co., of New York, have
Ieq %! TO get this comb honey to
England in good condition, but
without success. The want of proper
machinery for unloading the ships
seems to have been the principal
cause of the damage. Let down
"with run" by sling from the
yard-arm, the glass boxes and theil
fragile waxen contents were again
and again broken and spoilt. In
November last, however, Mr.. w.
M. Hoge, the manager Of this firm,
succeeded in landing consign.
ment of 80 tons in Liverpool, and
encouraged by the result of the ven'
ture, he on January 18th
landed, at the London Wharf in
Mapping, about 100 tons from
the California, one of the Anchor
Line of steamships. There are q.
500 cases in this shipment contain
Ing overs 100000 pounds of honey
and few boxes have sustained any
injury in transit. Taught by past
experience, Mr.. Hoge had his
cases securely boarded up between
bulkheads on the steamer, and in
unloading employed gangs of men
to pass the cases hand over hand
down the ships side into the light.
er and from the lighter on to the
wharf. Visitors to the Paris Expo
sition, where Messrs. Thurber &
Co. obtained a medal for their
honey, as we'll as one from the
French Agricultural Society fol
the best honey in the most market
able form, noted the exceedingly
neat appearance of the honeycomt
in these patent hive boxes.
This English journal gives the
following interesting statistics ol
the honey business in this country
The Importance which bee-keep.
ing has assumed as regular branch
of industry in the United States
may be conceived when it is stated
that over 80, 600, 600 pounds of honey
are there produced and sold annu'
ally. The tendency in this as in
other occupations has been for the
trade to be carried on by persons
having large capital. The bee.
keepers have frequently from $500
to 5000 swarms of bees, and some
far larger numbers. Messrs. Thur.
ber & Co., for instance, have II, ,OOC
swarms of bees. OF course it is
only by o thorough organization
that such large numbers of these
little workers who toll without nav
can be looked after and cared for.
The system in the United States is
to farm out the swarms. Arrange.
ments are made with farmers and
those who own orchards In suitable
localities to allow an apiary of per-
haps a hundred swarms to be placed
in their grounds. AT distance Of
three or four miles another apiary
will be placed with some Other
farmer. For this accommodation
either y fixed rent or share of the
honey produced is paid, and the
bee-owner sends expert workmen
to,clean the hives, to take out the
boxes OF surplus honey as they are
filled, and TO destroy the moths