Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-15

bles With the smelters.
Salt Lake county was once the ban
ner county In the state for the honey
industry. Ten years ago there were
$4,000 colonies of bees In this county
alone. When the work Of producing
honey was on sound and paying basis
in this county, there were 10000 colonies
here. In short time they increased to
1900. Then the smelter smoke COM
menced to do its fatal work and sound
the death knell OF the BUSY little bee
At first the decrease was small and
attracted only passing notice but later
they began to die off rapidly. The bee
keepers did not know what allied their
colonies and they began replenishing
their rapidly decreasing stock. Some
thing like 5000 more colonies were pur-
chased but they were quickly killed
and the industry is now a thing of the
past. 1t Is safe to say that out of tho
$1,000 colonies not more than 10 or 10
exist in this county today. A great
many bee keepers depended upon the
honey output for living, They were
compelled to either go into other bust
ness or leave tho domain Of smelter
smoke. One man saved what he could
and took his belongings to Davis
county.
Reports from all over the state indl-
cate a steady growth In the honey busi-
ness. Among the most prosperous
counties may be mentioned Emery,
Sanpete. Sewer and Uintah. The
northern and western parts Of the state
have not done quite so well this year
as heretofore The south central and
eastern portions of the state report q
splendid crop, much better than last
year Some Of the bee keepers who re-
ported an average Of $50 pounds state
that the amount win be considerably
greater this year and that the bees are
apparently In excellent condition
The crop OF 1906 is conscrvatlvely
placed as follows: Comb honey. l,O0O,-
600; extracted, 100000, The wax viii
amount TO about $1,000. Tho price for
this honey Isl Comb. retail. Is cents
per pound. Extracted retail, from to
"a cents per pound. when the crop
Of 1906 IS disposed Of II viii mean an
income Of close to a quarter OF mil
lion Of dollars for the beekecpers
Some OF the Individual heekeepers have
reported that they will market over
car load.
This honey, every pound Of Il, ranks
with the very best In the world. when It
comes directly from the producer. The
Rec Keepers association has done all
I'm It's power TO see that Il Is placed on
the market I'm It's native purity, but
dealers often mix & with other honey
of a darker color, and II IL claimed
that Il Is sometimes mixed with gu-
cosC and represented as pure Utah
honey" The honey produced here Is
pure. and that Is the reason that GER
tain dealers make an adulteratlon,
knowing the splendid reputation this
state has for It's honey,
OF the total crop this year Il Is e..
timated that between 75 and % per cent
will be shipped 10 other states. Tn,
balance supplies the home market
While It goes directly into great
many states the PRINCIPAL polnts OF
shlpment are Chicago Kansas CITY and
ST. Louis. II finds . ready eale ana the
prices are always the highest that can
be commanded.
Mr. T.. s. Lovesv. president OF the
Utah Rec Keepers' assocla ton. states
that there Is 2 splendid field Tor those
desiring 20 enter the honey producing
business I'm idaho. He recently returned
from n trip 20 the Gem state and SAYS
there r. particularly rood field be-
tween Pocatello and 81. Anthony. He
stated that some places he visited the
outnut would not exceed 100 pounds.
and that In nearlv every place he found
a good opportunity there was nothing
doing In the honey business.