Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-15
The Honey Yield for 1889.


While prospects appeared quite favor
able in the early spring months for a lib
ersl honey yield in this State, or rather
in Southern California, where most of
the honey of this coast is produced, the
weather during the past few months has
been too cool or otherwise unpropitious
for bees to work to an advantage, and it
is now clearly established that the crop
will not be OF the banner sort. 1t may,
however, prove larger than it would be
safe at present to predict. The
Los Angeles Commercial Bulletin,
in commenting on the situation
and bringing to task the Los
Angeles Times for asserting that the yield
would be 'less than one seventh of the
average" advances the opinion, after
interviewing producers and dealers, that
the yield will be about one-fourth the
largest quantity ever produced, and will
not fall very much short of the crop of
1888. The statement of the Times ia
certainly wild and unwarranted, while
that of the Commercial Bulletin shows
more consistency, to say the least, and
is, furthermore, in consonance with the
most trustworthy but meager data obtain
able at this date. Exact information as to
the quantity of honey in the State is at
all times difficult to obtain. Until the
season is we'll over, about the most that
can be known is in a general, way that
the crop is poor, fair, good or heavy. AL
though there is considerable said about
the average Of honey crops, the average
has never yet been clearly established.
In nf1
were $4,000 cases, and in 1887 were
$500 cases, these being the two extremes
for the past twelve years, and they show
entirely too much difference to average
well, if due regard is to be given to consist
ency and fairness. During the season of
1885, 16, 900 cases arrived at this center
and practically the same quantity last
season. All things considered, the crops
OF 1885 and 1888 are about as close rep-
resentatives OF an average as can be OBJ
tanned, especially 30 if the phenomenal
season of 1884 is not taken into the CAL
culstion. That season stands pre.emi-
nent in the history of the local honey
trade, being not only the heaviest yield
ON record, but only in one former year
WAS anything like near approach
made to that seasons production.
The very highest average which
could be arrived at by the most
liberal system Of figuring would be less
than half the crop of 1884, or not to ex-
ceed 1000 tons. One-seventh of this
would bring the yield down to aoout g.
500 cases, mere bagatelle and so small
as to appear Insignificant compared with
the yield of the most unfavorable season
since the production of honey has as
sumed any prominence in this State.
Our Los Angeles contemporary saws the
price will be anywhere from 5@715c. This
is rather indefinite, as the latter figure
is an advance of so per cent IN the lover
price. There is little probability of much
extracted honey finding wholes ale custom
at 71ac, no matter how small the supply.
and the chances are almost equally re-
mote for first-class honey selling at SC,
San Francisco delivery, or at any COM
mon distributing point. At 5@6c it is
fairly beyond the bounds of probability
for the supply to exceed the demand,
but when values pass the &c limit the
export trade is at once greatly restricted.
The foreign demand is necessarily the
meinstay OF the market, as home re-
quirements have ever been of quite
limited proportions. 1t has always
been urged that the price of sugar is
an important factor in forming
values of honey, but the Commercial
Bulletin fails 10 see where the affinity
comes in. Inc price of sugar has a
bearing on the value of honey in this
extent That if sugar is the cheaper
commodity it can be profitably used, not
only in adulterating but in manufactur-
ing an imitation article. Then again, if
honey is cheaper than sugar or syrup, it
is used more extensively by the poorer
classes as a matter of economy. Further
than this, the values of the two commod-
tiles have no special bearing on each
other.-IS. F. Grocer and Country Mer-
chant.