| Apiarian societies in the United States | 110 |
| Apiarian journals | 8 |
| Steam factories for the manufacture of beehives and apiarian implements | 15 |
| Honey produced in the United States in 1869 (according to United States Census Report) | pounds 14,702,815 |
| Honey produced in the United States in 1889 (according to United States Census Report) | pounds 63,894,186 |
| Persons engaged in the culture of bees (estimated) | 300,000 |
| Honey and wax produced, at wholesale rates (Eleventh Census) | $7,000,000 |
| Mr. Benton's estimate of the present annual value of apiarian products | $20,000,000 |
As supplementary to these figures it may be stated that in addition to the 15 steam-power factories there is a very largo number of smaller factories, using mainly hand and horse power, which are engaged in the production of supplies, such as hives, smokers, honey extractors, sections, comb foundation, and other apiarian apparatus. It is estimated by Mr. Benton that the present existing flora of the United States could undoubtedly support, with the same average profit, ten times the number of colonies of bees it now supports. This branch of agricultural industry does not impoverish the soil in the least, but, on the contrary, results in better seed and fruit crops. The total money gain to the country from the prosecution of this industry would undoubtedly be placed at several times the amount given in the table above were we only able to estimate in dollars and cents the result of the work of bees in cross fertilizing the blossoms of fruit crops. In support of this it is only necessary to refer to the fact that recent investigations by another division of this Department have shown that certain varieties of pear are nearly or quite sterile unless bees bring pollen from other distinct varieties for their complete cross fertilization. I respectfully recommend the publication of this manual as No. 1 of the new series of bulletins of this Division.
Respectfully,
L. O. Howard,
Entomologist.
Hon. James Wilson,
Secretary of Agriculture.
PREFACE.
This treatise is designed to make the practical management of an apiary plain to those whose acquaintance with the subject is limited, and to direct such as may find in it a pleasant and profitable occupation to a system of management which may be followed on an extensive scale with the certainty of fair remuneration for the labor and capital required. With this object in view the author has deemed it best to treat the natural history of the bee but briefly, and also to give little space to matters which are in question, or to different methods of accomplishing given results, or to such as are only adapted to a limited portion of the country, but rather to explain one settled way widely applicable and which will lead to success. The methods advised here are such as the author has found practical during an extended experience, yet in regard to numerous details many works—both foreign and American—have been consulted, none more freely than Langstroth on the Honey Bee, revised by Chas. Dadant & Son, and Bees and Bee Keeping, by Prof. F. R. Cheshire.
Many of the illustrations were specially prepared for this bulletin. Some have been taken from publications of the Department of Agriculture. These include some of the smaller illustrations of honey-producing plants and also Plates III to X, which are from reports of the Botanist of the Department. Plates II and XI, and figures 5, 6, 8, 44, 50, 51, and 76 are copied from Cheshire; figs. 08 and 69 from Simmins. The Department is also under obligations to the A. I. Root Company, to Chas. Dadant & Son, T. F. Bingham, Hayek Bros., Tan Allen & Williams, and Dr. T. L. Tinker, for electrotypes.
Frank Benton.
Washington, D. C.