926 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 15. 



for honey put up in oil-cans by half or three- 

 quarters of a cent as he would in honey-cans; 

 so he saves 35 and loses from GO to 90 cents. 

 Besides, if he attempts to put them up in old 

 oi\-boxes, which he can also get cheap, he will 

 lose 6 lbs. of honey in the tare, for they and the 

 cans weigh only 12 lbs. ; but the dealer exacts 

 the full tare. An old oil-can is a good deal 

 like a man of bad character — it always smells 

 of it. No honey-producer here, of any note, 

 uses oil-cans for honey. They would not use 

 them if delivered free at the apiary! No, let 

 us be honest; let us send out nothing but pure 

 stock, with every package new, neat, and 

 clean. It is the only way to success in our 

 calling. 



CALIFORNIA STATE CONVENTION ECHOES. 



Nov. 18 and 19, Prof. Cook presided over a 

 gathering of about sixty earnest and go-ahead 

 bee-keepers in the: Chamber of Commerce, Los 

 Angeles. 



The^forming of some kind of cooperative as- 

 sociation, either independent or in conjunction 

 with the fruit-men, was the topic that had 

 precedence at all times over all other topics 



It was figured outduring the convention, that 

 extracted honey-, on an average, for a series of 

 years, costs 4X cts. to produce, and that the 

 average crop is 65 lbs. As the present price of 

 honey is from 3 to 4 cts., it is evident the bee- 

 keeper is getting next to nothing for his labor. 



The present slipshod method of marketing 

 honey is largely to blame for the low prices. 



The citrus fruit-men are so well organized 

 that' they can estimate several months in ad- 

 vance the probable number of car-loads of fruit 

 there will be to ship. The honey-producer has 

 never yet been able to tell how much honey 

 •has been produced even months after its dispos- 

 al. 



With these and many other facts before them, 

 the association appointed a committee of five 

 to formulate some plans for cooperation in the 

 sale of honey. The committee deliberated sev- 

 eral hours, and they reported in favor of inde- 

 pendent action, and upon lines similar to the 

 Fruit Exchange, and recommended the forming 

 of a 



CALIFORNIA HONEY EXCHANGE. 



Their report was unanimously adopted, and 

 the committee continued. Their work is an 

 arduous one, and may take many months in 

 accomplishment; but the staying qualities of 

 the committee lead bee-keepers to hope for 

 success. Geo. W. Brodbeck, W. T. Richardson, 

 R. Dunn, Dr. Millard, R. Touchton, original 

 committee, to which were added Prof. Cook 

 and J. H. Martin. 



Abbott Kinney gave an interesting talk upon 

 eucalyptus. There are 150 varieties. The 



Robusta, Fisatola, and Eugensitas, are espe- 

 cially rich in the secretion of nectar, and bloom 

 in that portion of the year, from November to 

 March, when bees get but little honey from 

 other sources. California bee-keepers were 

 recommended to plant those species that pro- 

 duce the most honey. 



The pepper-tree is not considered a good 

 honey- producer. Where enough of it has been 

 secured, the testimony seemed to class it as 

 dark, and with a peppery flavor. Mr. Wilkin, 

 who has had long experience, and ought to 

 know, says that this peppery flavor comes from 

 a weed known as "blue curl." 



Alfalfa is drawing more and more attention 

 as a honey- producer, and in the central por- 

 tions of the [Slate it is the leading source from 

 which the honey is obtained. It is destined 

 to become the leading honey-plant in many 

 other portions of the State 



Mr. J.[S. Harbison sent his compliments to 

 the assembled bee-keepers in the form of an 

 interesting and instructive letter. The follow- 

 ing is a sample nugget: *' It is', safe to say that 

 no product of soil or water, whether fish, flesh, 

 or fowl, or that of fruits in all the varied forms 

 in which they are marketed, is sold at so low 

 a price, relative to excellence, as is that of our 

 highest grades of California honey." "Our sage 

 honey has no superior in any country, and 

 should sell for fully 50 per cent more than it 

 has for the past few years." 



Diseases of bees were discussed. The new 

 bee-disease 'seems to be more prevalent near 

 the coast than in the interior. Henry Otto, 

 in a communication, claimed to have cured foul 

 brood with the new drug, creoline 



Resolutions of respect to the memory of the 

 late L. L. Langstroth, and sympathy to his 

 family, were passed. Also, that the California 

 bee-keepers would cooperate with the bee- 

 keepers of the world in the erection of a suit- 

 able monument to the memory of the father of 

 American apiculture. 



Nearly all of the old officers were re-elected, 

 and the meeting adjourned. 



Will California bee-keepers, who do not re- 

 ceive notices of our meetings, send their ad- 

 dress to the secretary with the address of their 

 neighboring bee-keepers? The secretary wish- 

 es to keep every bee-keeper on this coast posted 

 in relation to the California Honey Exchange. 



Jacob Alpaugh, of Ontario, Canada, spent 

 last winter in California, and was so well pleas- 

 ed with our State and our association that he 

 is here now with his whole family, and again 

 attended our meeting. In spite of what John 

 Dryden said at the national gathering, he is 

 bound to annex himself and belongings to 

 Uncle Sam. Plenty of room here, gentlemen; 

 flowers the whole year round, and no frozen 

 toes. John H. Martin, Sec. 



Bloomington, Cal., Nov. 20. 



