1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



263 



pers, in a civilized way, ihe family went to bed. 

 In fact, I don't believe lliey had a lamp or a 

 newspaper in tlie house. Bro. II. was in a peck 

 of trouble over his< cooking. The big fire melt- 

 ed both handles from his choice cooker, and 

 blackened its fair exterior. In removing it he 

 burned his lingers, spilled water on the tire, and 

 came out to the veranda in a hurry, talking 

 Dutch and English in a subdued tone, and not 

 at all complimentary to Mexicausand Hreplaces. 



DISTUKBEl) BV MEXICANS. 



As he could not see the sardonic smile I then 

 wore. I sort of shouted in a stage whisper. 

 '■ Well, who's a kicking?'" I felt a little sar- 

 donic, from the fact that our friend, while on 

 our travels, wanted to camp every time in some- 

 body's front dooryard: and this time he had 

 overdone th(> thing, and got right in wiih the 

 family, and Mexicans at that. It did not work 

 well, especially upon that lovely cooker. 



After my remark, we 

 silently ate our rations 

 in the dark, and in due 

 time withdrew to our 

 camp out beside the bar- 

 ley stack. 



We were just dropping 

 off to sleep (Mr. H. had 

 got in several big snores) 

 when a Mexican rode up 

 on horseback outside the 

 corral, and, from his ac- 

 tions, I knew he wanted 

 to get through. I went 

 out and showed him the 

 gate and the open win- 

 dow, where he could find 

 Mr. Machado. He evi- 

 dently obtained permis- 

 sion to stay, and. secur- 

 ing his horse to the cor- 

 ral, disappeared in the 

 darkness. At a later 

 hour another Mexican 

 rode up. He was also 

 shown the way, and dis- 

 appeared like the other 

 one. About midnight the 

 same operation was per- 

 formed again. About 

 that time the arrival of 

 Mexicans became mo- 

 notonous, and so devoid 



of novelty that I joined Mr. H. in the land of 

 dreams. In the morning the corral was neai'ly 

 encircled with horses; and before sunrise the 

 Mexicans, singly and silently, departed without 

 even an " adios." 



_ There was but little evidence of cultivated 

 fields around the residence, and their main 

 means of subsistence is in the rearing of.cattle. 



Near the house was an immense grapevine, 

 fully i:i inches in diameter near the ground, and 

 covering an immense trellis, and laden with the 

 delicious Mission grape. Having permission to 

 partake, we enjoyed the privilege. 



This canyon has many wild bi es in it: but 

 there are no apiaries. Th^; honey flora ex- 

 ceeded in abundance and variety any one lield I 

 have ever seen. While on our trip to Campo we 

 found an abundance of white sage, and but a 

 small amount of black sage: but 

 in this canyon both varieties were 

 in abundance, with a great vari- 

 ety of other honey-plants. 



The Mexicans clo not get hold 

 of bee-keeping, and American en- 

 terprise is kept out by a duty of 

 ;.'0 cts. per gallon on all honey im- 

 l)orted into the United States. 

 About the only way to raise 

 honey heie profitably is to raise it 

 by the cargo and ship it to for- 

 eign ports. In years past Mr. 

 Harbison has had his mind upon 

 these fields: and the plan he pro- 

 posed was to form a company for 

 working them. 



Directing our exploring expe- 

 dition to the south, we arrive at 

 the Ames ranch. Mr. Ames is an 

 American, and is joined in bliss- 

 ful wedlock to a Spanish wife. 

 Mr. Ames was absent, but we were warmly 

 greeted by the vociferous barking of six dogs. 

 This brought an equal number of children 

 to the door, witli the mother in the rear, and an 

 old barefooted wrinkled Mexican near the 

 house. We inquired the way to the sea by 

 saying. ■• Donde esta el mar?" She rattled off 

 Spanish at the rate of a yard a second, and 

 gesticulated with both hands and her head 



RAMHLKI! WASHES HIS FACE IN THE PACIFIC. • 



vigorously, and we departed, just as though we 

 understood every word, when we didn't un- 

 derstand one. 



Cattle, horses, and grain was the chief indus- 

 try here, and the rolling hills were entirely des- 

 titute of honey flora. Soon the broad expanse 

 of the Pacitic was before us; but we had gain- 

 ed the shore in a very tame place, and, after 



