The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-08-16
OWN SUGAR
ADVISES SANbORN
TONS OF HONEY GOING TO
WASTE BECAUSE OF
so FEW BEES.
We EAT 80 POUNDS SWEETS
Bee Keeping Club Organized for Boys
and Girls Of okiahoma-Two
Colonies Enough for
Beginners.

In these days OF food shortage and
high costs we hear a great deal about
the COW and the hen and the backyard
garden as IL they were the last line OF
entertainments between an army of
~privation and a starving public. But
what about the humble bee?
All. indeed. there's the sting! We
have failed to cultivate the acquaint.
ance of this worker. Time was when
for honey. Then came the sugar trust
and improved methods and honey be-
came a substitute for sugar. The bee
managed to hold on. but honey came
to be looked upon az = luxury instead
Of a table necessity.
We are a sweet toothed people.
Each n Of US is supposed to con.
sumo about eighty pounds OF sugar.
or Its equivalent. annually. At the
present price Of sugar-but why give
prices, the only sure thing about
sugar prices is that they are higher
today than they were yesterday and
tomorrow will be still higher. Any
way, what the writer started to say
was that in our mobilization Of re-
sources we may have overlooked an
Industrial army that for efficiency
has ever those terrible Germans out.
| classed-the bee army.
Prof. C. E. Sanborn. ~entomologist at
Oklahoma agricultural and Mechanic
al College at saltwater. say that
| Oklahoma harvested about 1880, 900
pounds Of honey last year. He esti.
mates that this was just about one
Ave hundredth Of the available nectar
that nature provided. On that basis
the potential possibilities Of Oklahoma
would be about 312.500 o n Of honey
in one year. which would supply.
three times over. the amount OF sac.
charine food needed.
Prof. Sanborn says there are about
Is, 900 hives Of bees In Oklahoma. Our
apiaries range from one to 100 colo
MES each. The most popular Of the
improved varieties Of bees in this
state is probably the Italian. The
state has enacted q law to protect bees
from diseases and harmful insects by
Importation from the outside Of dis
eased stock or equipment.
It is not too late to start now with q
few colonies of bees. rays Prof. San
born. For the beginners. two colo
niles of Italian bees in a complete one
and one-half story hive will be sufic'
lent. This will probably cost about
$50. An average Of 100 pounds OF
honey the first year from two colonies
would not be unusual. Some beekeep'
ers produce this much honey or more
from a single colony. but the beginner
will probably feel amply rewarded with
so pounds Of good quality honey from
a single colony. As with anything else,
the beginner should not plunge deeply
into tho business.
A start has been made this year In
raising Oklahoma's standing as a bee
state by the organization OF a bee keep
ing club by the extension division OF
the A. & NJ. College. Any boy or cir
between the ages of eight and eighteen
years can enter the contest. Valuable
prizes will be given. Full details Of
this contest can be obtained by writ
ing to the Boys and Girls Clubs De
partment, A. & NJ. College, Saltwater
Oklahoma.
Farmers or t~ownspeople interested
in Bookkeeping should write to Prof
Sanborn at Saltwater, Circular No
"a, published by the Extension Divis
ion OF the college, covers the subjec
for beginners. There are no charges
on bulletins or any form OF informa
ton which the college a supply oil
this subject.