Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-20
APRoFrrABLE INDUSTRY.
What A Prominent Apiarist says About
Bee Culture in the south-some In
teresting Facts About Honey Produe-
ton.

re- culture in the South-Some In
] terestiur Facts About Honey Produc-
ton.
Mr.. ". :. Hart. Vice President for
I Florida Of the North American Bee
/ Keepers Society, il in the city. on his way
to Toronto. Canada. where the society
will hold its annual convention on the
! 18th. 18th and 18th Of September. Mr.. Hart
I j. one Of the most prominent and
/ experienced apiarists in the south, and Is
+ also an extensive orange grower al New
SMYRNA. Fla. On his way to Canada ne
will attend the Kentucky state Beekeep-
ers' Convention at Louisville during bee
{ keepers week Of the Southern Exposition.
where be will probably be joined by DR..
J.P. II. Brown. Of Augusta. Vice Presi-
Z dent for Georgia Of the North American
I Society.
In an interview yesterday with repre-
/ sentative Of the News Mr.. Hart stated
some interesting facts in regard to the
I progress Of bee culture in the South:
Bookkeeping is yet in its infancy IN the
I Southern States" said Mr.. Hart, and al
I though il has developed wonderfully dur
ing the past twenty years, still there IS
much to learn
rs bee keeping a profitable business =
inquired the reporter.
4 consider il 50. especially in the south.
With an investment Of $1,000 and prac-
teal knowledge Of bee culture. an annual
profit Of $1,000 10 81. 800 is readily realized
in favorable localities. This ] consider a
fair return"
What capital would be required to
make a fair start in the business:'
six hundred dollars would give good
start. and i little enough capital to start
with to get the most out Of the business;
but if a man is willing 10 commence with
a few colonies and work out some Of the
time at first. he can make a start on very
much : than that, that Will. with skill
and attention, increase to a large apIary
in a short time"
DO you consider Florida the best field
for bee culture:'
In many respects 1 do. 1t presents
the largest average report Of honey pro-
duction per colony Of any state IN the
UniOn.'
Is the business increasing
Rapidly. The centre Of bee culture in
Florida has heretofore been at New Smyr-
na The business i now spreading out.
and large apiaries have been established
on the Gulf coast.
What part of the state would you re-
commend for an apiarian to locate in:'
Having never been in the Northern
portion. / know but comparatively little
Of its honey resources. / am better ac-
quainted with South Florida, and con-
slider the coast counties lying south Of
the northern limit OF the mangrOVe tree
a little north Of twenty-ninth parallel
unsurpassed for the industry.
Does the south possess advantages
over the North for improved bee culturef'
1t unquesti0nably does. Here we eX-
perience no losses from the diseases
which frequently ruin whole apiarles in
"a short time at the North. | have never
of a sod of
bees in the state. Foul broOds are un-
known. The enemies are toads, dragon
6ies. ants. moths and birds: but Italian
bees we'll attended. Will keep 50 strong
in numbers that the combined efforts Of
their enemies seem to affect them but
little. Then We are not compelled to in
eur expense and frequent losses IN win
tering. our colonies remain upon the
stands the year round.
Another advantage i the length Of the
honey gathering season. There are usu-
/ ally three and sometimes four honey sea-
sons with honey drOughts between. each
year. | will quote from an article OF mine,
published in the Fiordd AgrjcuitRrist OF
November q. ISL: our bees winter per-
fectly on the summer stands, and gather
honey or pollen every month in the year.
The first honey flow commences about
the LIST Of February and swarming about
the 10th Of March. In April or May we
usually have "a cyhOn drought OF few
weeks. sufficient 10 check the swarming
fever. Then comes the saW-palmetto.
sweet bay. bass wood. etc. giving good
ioW Of very heavy honey. Of light, amber
color. and excellent flavor. This flow
lasts until the cabbage palmetto and man.
grove come in. the last Of June. From
this on until about the 10th Of August. the
flow il continuous and heavy. the honey
as handsome as can be produced, and OF
sFVarr nal raFtra-
comes for the bees. which lasts until the
middle Of september. when the fall flowers.
and later. the saw-palmett0 berries yield "a
surplus of darker honey. suitable for VIM
ter supplies or spring feeding. some Of
the leading honey and ponen-pr0ducing
trees are the maple, willow,
sweet-zum. the bays. orange myrtle,
oak. Eastwood. hickory, youpon,
mock-Olive. saw-palmett0. cabbage
palmetto and mangroye. the last two
Of which come together. in the middle Of
the summer. and are unequaled as honey
producers by anything else in the whole
vegetable kingdom known to the writer
They produce honey in abundance, Of the
finest quality. and we think 1t is safe 10
say, never fail 10 produce good crop"
'.What disadvantages do you expert
/ ence?'
Mainly the distance from market. and
in measure. the prejudice against
Southern honey.
"Where is your principal markets"
AT present Cincinnati is the leading
point Of shipment. We have limited
home market for extracted honey, at To
+ 10 cents. and comb - to - cents per
pound; but most Of the larger producers
+ ship their crops TO the markets OF the
North Among those shipped to are BOs-
ton, New York. Baltimore, Cincinnati and
Cleveland. Nearly all honey is eX-
tratced and shipped in 20 and 40 gallon
barrels. 1t has brought an average OF 10
4 cents per pound, some barrels selling dur
ing the past season as high as II cents
I per pound"
..What is the average increase and hon
ey production per colony in an aver
age year,
I'm good locations the average natural
/ increase is from one to three and 100
pounds of honey. They often do much
better than this. | have known one col
ony to increase naturally to nine strong
ones, liz one season, and give consldera-
bic surplus honey besides
What is the average production from
your own apiary:"
Last year it was 10000 pounds from
q colonies This is the smallest crop
I have ever obtained, ! have now
- colonies. and expect large
production next year. Messrs. Alder
+
extensive apiarists in Florida. and their
production last year was twenty tons"
What do you consider the best hive
now in usef';
THE Laugstroth | consider the most
practical hive for improved bee culture,
Its frames are SO constructed as to admit
of ready handling without injury to the
colony. and at the same time secure the
greatest comb surface
.'What variety Of bees do you consider
the best adapted TO the Southern climateI"
The Italian is generally conceded to
be the most valuable. The Cyprian Is
also raised by many apiarists.'
Does Georgia possess the same advan-
tages as Florida for bee cultureY
Il am unable to say. not having an
acquaintance with the geography of the
state. but the locality of OkefnOkee
swamp is said to possess excellent advan-
tages. | believe. that the South
western portion OF Georgia as far as ] am
able to Judge, would offer a fine field for
the promotion Of the industry"
The Railroad Accident Near Jesup.
Dr. William Duncan returned from
Jesup yesterday, where he was called
Saturday night to attend conductor W.
= TD11rfa1- 4La Florida md