96 



GLEANIiNGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feu. 1. 



homes, and cultivate land that, to an ordinary 

 mortal, wonld seem to be hung up too much 

 edgewise. We saw fields of oats and other 

 grains that were certainly upon land lying at an 

 angle of 4.">°. The only way that crops could 

 be harvested from these steep hillsides was 

 with a half-cart half-sleigh arrangement, and 

 small loads the rule. The land seemed very 

 productive, and. besides grain, grapes and other 

 fruits were largely planted. The scenery from 





M 





ously killed when the owner wanted a taste of 

 honey. 



In this portion of the Santa Clara Valley the 

 soil was admirably adapted to the raising of 

 onion-seed, and hundreds of acres were coming 

 to ripened heads. Chinese labor was seen gath- 

 ering the heads and beating out the seed with 

 the old-time flail. We neglected to hunt up 

 the man with the hundred colonies of bees; but 

 it occurred to us that, near these onion-fields, 

 almond and fruit orchards would be a profit- 

 able place to plant an apiary. 



For over :350 miles we have traveled now 

 through the coast counties; and not since we 

 left Ventura have we found many bee-keepers. 

 Isolated apiaries we have found in the lower 

 counties; and that there are good localities for 

 profitable bee-keeping in all of the counties, 

 there i«i no doubt: for wherever we rambled on 

 the barren plain, in the dark canyon, or on the 

 mountain-tops, wherever an opening flower 

 spread its petals to the sun. there we found the 

 busy bee, showing that the little wonder-worker 

 has indeed taken possession of this Western 

 World, and through this fact alone the honey- 

 bee has the profound admiration of the Ram- 

 bler. 



A DEER. AND WHAT THE GLASS KEVEAT,ED. 



these heights, as we looked out upon the moun- 

 tains until they shaded oft' into the dim dis- 

 tance, was grand and inspiring to the beholder. 



Our drive down the other side of the moun- 

 tain was rapid. Our ponies kicked up a terri- 

 ble dust, and it was in a dusty condition that 

 we entered the beautiful town of Los (iatos. 

 We were now in the famous and fertile Santa 

 Clara Valley. We found a series of thriving 

 towns, of which San .lose is the crowning cen- 

 ter. 



Apricot-orchards were without end: in fact, 

 the apricot is to San Jose what the orange is to 

 Riverside and the grape to Fresno. 



We camp again at Warm Springs, and this 

 time we were happily located near an old 

 schoolhouse. The good people of the neighbor- 

 hood, to the number of ten. including the Ram- 

 bler, assembled that evening in a meeting of 

 prayer and singing. Several young men were 

 in attendance, showing that the leaven of the 

 Christian religion was working in the right di- 

 rection. One of these young men gave us the 

 information that there were but few bees kept 

 in that vicinity. The largest apiary that he 

 knew of for many miles was further down the 

 valley, and contained 100 colonies. His father, 

 he said, kept a few colonies in his almond-or- 

 chard. The almond is profuse in blossoms, and 

 this gentleman found that he had more nuts 

 upon his trees if the bees were there to aid in 

 pollenization. The honey from the almond he 

 pronounced fine. Their bees were kept in a 

 non-scientific way, and the bees were barbar- 



CALIFORNIA NUGGETS. 



HOW TO f'ONSTKUCT A PERCOLATOR: HOW TO 

 KILL A LOT OF KHSTGEIRDS AT ONE SHOT. 



Bi/ C. W. Dai/tDii. 



In California the antipathy of the fruit-man 

 against bees is equaled by that of him who is 

 trying to dispose of a tract of ?10-per-acre land 

 at *100 per lot. 



The best sign-board and the best advertise- 

 ment for honey is thirty or forty colonies sitting 

 in the front yard. People dislike to buy honey 

 of those who do not keep bees. It is like milk 

 in a large city— the dairy product is preferred. 



A feeder beneath the brood-apartment is pref- 

 erable in "feeding back" honey to complete 

 sections, as the bees "clean their feet" while 

 traversing the brood-combs. If feeding for 

 winter stores, place the feeder above, as the 

 feed will betaken down faster, it seems to me. 



If your apiary is strewn with leaves, as yon 

 walk along after dusk toads will be heard 

 rustling the leaves. One way is to gather them 

 up by hand; but a better plan is to sink a few 

 boxes in the earth, level with their upper edges,, 

 for the toads to fall into, and deep enough so 

 that they are unable to jump out. 



Since it is admitted that kingbirds destroy 

 bees, the next thing is to find a plan to destroy 

 the kingbirds without the expense of a charge 

 of shot and powder, and the time it takes for 

 each bird. Stretch a fence-wire between two> 

 trees in line with an upstairs window of the 

 house or barn. In the absence of trees, use 

 high posts. In the absence of such window, let 



