134 



GLEANi^His IN iu<:p: C[TLTURE 



Feb. 15. 



strike, fruits of all kinds were wasting on the 

 ground. Nearly all of a fine cherry crop was 

 lost. Pear.?, peaches, apricots, plums, were rot- 

 ting in profusion. 



Mr. VVilder and myself made a pretty good 

 market for quite an amount of fruit; but the 

 market could not stand the shock of such a 

 variety, and soon became overstocked. 



Wm. A. has been interested in bees several 

 years, but has never owned as large apiaries as 

 we see in Southern California. His present 

 apiary numbers about .")0 colonies. The yields 

 of honey here are not so astonishing as we tind 

 further south. The resources are from a differ- 

 ent flora, or. rather, a more mixed flora, and 

 the honey is several shades darker than our 

 white-sage honey. I was pleased to note. 



been a dull one lie started oft' with many cus- 

 tomers. His location is excellent for shipping 

 queens to the various islands of the Pacific and 

 to Australia. 



Mr. P. has two efficient helpers in his young- 

 er brothers; but I fear the male trio of bee- 

 keepers in this family will soon give up the 

 bee-business. Wm. A. is just now interested in 

 furthering the interests of the New Water Co.. 

 of Oakland; Charley and the other brother are 

 mechanical geniuses, and are going to make 

 things hum with electricity. I greatly fear 

 that the care of the apiary will devolve upon 

 the several young ladies in the house. I have 

 no doubt but they can rise equal to the occa- 

 sion when the occasion arrives. Among other 

 distinctions, Wm. A. and the other brothers 



AriAKY OF W. A. I'KYAI., NORTH TEMESCAI,, fAI.. 



among other honey-producing trees, the linden, 

 or basswood, growing thriftily on the avenue. 

 This is a fine shade-tree here, and I have seen 

 it in a limited way in other cities on this coast. 

 Its growth demonstrates that it will thrive in 

 any moist locality, either from ocean humidity 

 in the shape of fogs and rain, or in the irrigated 

 districts. Although its habit is not so beautiful 

 as the evergreen pepper-tree, its honey is .so far 

 superior that it would be a blessing to bee- 

 keepers to see it replace the pepper-tree. 



Although the honey produced here does not 

 rank as the whitest, its flavor is such that Mr. 

 rryal finds a ready sale and good prices for 

 all he can produce. The dovetailed hive with 

 all its appurtenances is used, and is considered 

 the best all-round hive for this locality. 



Mr. P. has recently directed his attention to 

 queen-rearing; and though the past season has 



and sisters are native sons and daughters of 

 California. 



The next day after our arrival, Aug. 4, we 

 followed the footsteps of our host and tramped 

 over the hills to the State University. Berke- 

 ley is chiefly noted for having this California 

 institution located within its limits. Prof. C. 

 W. Woodworth had attende.1 our State conven- 

 tion; and the University, or the department 

 under his care, was making an honest effort to 

 aid bee-keepers, and disseminate knowledge in 

 relation to the honey-bee. We three felt it our 

 duty to call, and also help in our feeble way. 

 Although the University was enjoying a va- 

 cation we found Prof. W. at his post. In his 

 laboratory in the Agricultural Building we 

 were shown bees preserved in alcohol, in all 

 stages of development, from the eggs to the 

 mature bee. In the attic were stored the vari- 



