Arizona republican., 1921-01-28
SAYS STATE SHOULD
 PRODUCE 45OO TONS
 OF HONEY EACH YEAR

That Arizona has not lived up to it's possibilities as a honey producing state is the statement made by L. Earl Matteson. state inspector of apiaries, in his annual report, sub mitted to Governor Campbell yester day. Arizona produces each year 450 tons of honey, and in the opinion of Inspector Matteson the output of honey should be ten times the present amount. or 45o0 tons.
 This meaps a living for at least 400 families direct or 2000 people, not taking into consideration those inter ested indirectly The pasture Is here for bees and this nectar is wasted ea.eh year because it is not gathered. What We need is to have these facts known and to teach the people who are here of the possibilities" claims the in spector.
 being used by the majority of Arizona beekeepers, says Matteson, who advo- cates an educational program. The need of extension work is also ad- vanced in the report
 The 100000 pounds of honey pro- duced each year comes from the Salt River valley, Yuma valley, San Pedro, | the Verde. Flagstaff and the Big Sandy regions. That there are avail able locations for bees is set forth in the report, the following being men toned:
 The San Pedro valley from Mexico to Winkleman is 150 miles. only 50 miles of this distance has. .bees-leav- | ing space for 40 apiaries or 10000 colo nies. The bees in this valley average so pounds to the colony. The Pantana wash has a pasturage of 50 miles or room for 4000 colonies. Around the base of tne Whetstone mountains is room for 200O colonies. | Aravaipai canyon north of Wilcox offers locations for 4000 colonies. The upper Gila valley by Duncan offers location for 1000 colonies. San Carlos Indian reserve and north into White mountains offer locations for 5000 colonies.
 The Salt River valley is not all stocked; there are good locations in and around Wickenburg for 5000 colo nies.
 The Verde region back in the noun tains offers locations for apiaries. The White mountains in the north of the state offers locations for api- laries. but the annual output from these will not be as great as in the lower valleys. since the season is shorter; 1 bees in these locations require better care than the average apiarist gives them.
 Along the Colorado river south of Needles many good locations exist l These are difficult to reach. but good grade of amber honey is to be had here.
 "The University of Arizona is train ing ex-soldiersto keep bees. The edu- cational side of bee keeping must be given new life in this state if we care to increase our output of honey" Mir Matteson says:
 Tn July it was my pleasure to spend two days with the vocational teachers at the Northern Arizona state normal giving instruction to the teachers Of agriculture who are located ln the various counties of the state teaching the boys trades. and as a result see that many communities have their boys taking bee keeping as a project these boys of today are the bee keepers of tomorrow. The teachers of agriculture of the Gila valley at Thatcher and at Casa Grande have asked that 1 help them in giving prac- tcal instruction in the care of bees: also two of the teachers here in the Salt River valley are preparing a line of work that into help them de- velop.
 Tt Is with pride that I can say my apiaries on the San Pedro river are the best equipped in the state; the use of patented power driven extractors, wax melters and honey pumps, together with the use of queen excluders and bee escapes. make it possible for three men to extract and case in one days work two and three tons of honey These facts have brought men from al lover the state to get information as to how to handle bees in the latest methods. As state apiarist I have spent much time explaining these fea- lures that make 1t possible for one man to produce and market 40 and 50 tons of honey annually.
 The office of apiarist has given me an opportunity to see into the mar keting problem, which has been and is at the present time difficult but ] gave the bee keepers the idea of or ganizing a sales plan that has resolved Itself into a state bee keepers bottling works. where the fine grade of mes quite and catclaw honey of Arizona can be bottled in a neat attractice re tail package. Three thousand cases ? are to be bottled this winter and a local market awaits these packages.
 "The need of more extension work ~HEOEAs.'sESR Refreshing and heallnr
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