FOREWORD

From the angle of its plant life, Florida is peculiarly fitted as a honey producing state. The winters are short with relatively high temperatures, the blooming season is long and the flora is rich both in numbers and varieties. Several plants, such as tupelo, mangrove, gallberry, sawpalmetto and citrus (all native except citrus) yield honey that rank in quality with the best.

The indiscriminate and at times wholesale burning of woods and fields is the greatest single drawback to the development of the honey producing industries of the state. Manifestly, it is impossible for bees to secure supplies of honey if the plants upon which they depend are either destroyed or prevented from flowering by fire. The apiarist finding himself in a fire devasted area may be forced to move to other fields or abandon his undertaking entirely. On the part of rural populations there is dire need of a changed viewpoint as related to the handling of fire throughout the state.

In the following pages, Miss Isabelle S. Thursby and Dr. Waldo Horton have furnished information on the culinary and dietary uses and values of honey that is most important. It is hoped that this publication will assist in bringing about a larger use of this wholesome sweet, and, realizing the value of honey and the value of the plant life upon which supplies depend, there may follow some change in the attitude of the general public toward those native sources of honey supplies upon which, both now and in the future, the beekeeping industries of the state must depend.

H. HAROLD HUME,
Assistant Director; Research.

University of Florida Agricultural
Experiment Station, Gainesville, Florida, Jan. 1933.