398 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15. 



speedily go the way of all other attempts at San Jacinto Mountain, also snow-clad at this 

 artificial comb.] 



RAMBLE NO. 82. 



THE FERGUSON BROTHERS. 



Almost two miles west from San Bernardino, 

 and nearly half way between that city and Col- 

 ton, the traveler encounters the Col ton Terrace, 

 a slight elevation of land caused by the wash- 

 ing away of tlu^ land east of it by th^ Lytle 

 Creek. One bright warm day in January, wh.ni 

 the meadow-laiks wei'e caroling, and when 

 our Eastern friends were enjoying one of their 

 oft-repeated blizzards, the Rambler measured 

 ties from San Bernardino, along the Santa Fe 

 R. R., until the terrace was gained. 



The object of my visit was to find the resi- 

 dence of Mr. Geo. Ferguson, a noted bee-keeper 

 of San Berucirdino Co. With him was stop- 

 ping my friend V/ilder, who had written me 

 that my presence would cause tears of joy to 



>I|{. FEROUSON IN CHAINS. 



flow. A quail, and a horned toad stuffed with 

 cotton and arsenic, were awaiting mn dS a pres- 

 ent, chiefly for the rectitude of my intentions. 

 These considerations being so delightful, I was 

 happy to find the terrace and the residence of 

 Mr. E'erguson. The house is near the railroad, 

 and around it is a thriving youngorange grove, 

 and in its immediate vicinity a grove of tall 

 eucalyptus-trees. The terrace has enough ele- 

 vation to give a fine view of the valley to the 

 east. Close to us is the town of San Bernardi- 

 no, one of the oldest towns in Southei'n Califor- 

 nia, and, though not so beautiful in my eyes as 

 Riverside, it is quite an enterprising town. 

 Eight miles beyond, upon land that ri<es in ter- 

 races, we see the young and remarkably thriv- 

 ing town of Redlands. Immediately back of 

 Redlands. and partly encircling it, the San Ber- 

 nardino Mountains rise in their grandeur, their 

 various peaks glistening with snowy caps. Far 

 to the right, and isolated from the rest, is the 



season. All along at the north of our range of 

 vision the mountains are nearer to us: and the 

 Cajon Pass. Devil Canyon, and the Arrowhead 

 hot springs are pointed out to the interested 

 observer. 



There are many grand pictures thrown upon 

 the retina of the eye in this valley, that the 

 tourist becomes enthusiastic over, and ever re- 

 members with pleasure. It is with pleasure 

 that the Rambler points to Old Grayback, the 

 highest of the mountains, and modestly re- 

 marks. " Well, sir. I have planted my feet upon 

 that highest point." It is in the midst of this 

 awe-inspiring scenery that Mr. Ferguson has 

 his pleasant home. Mr. F. seems outwardly to 

 be happily situated. The chains of matrimony 

 seem, however, to bind him to home and the 

 home duties; and that all of our readers may 

 see the nature of the chain, I obtained a photo 

 of the outfit, the pai'ents at the ends and the 

 links between. The links are four very bright 

 and well-behaved boys who will, ere long, help 

 more or los-* in The apiary. 



Mr. FerguS'On is a 

 bee-keeper of about 

 18 years' experience, 

 and now owns about 

 400 colonies in two 

 apiaries, located some 

 miles from the home 

 lanch, up what is 

 termed Lytle Creek 

 Wash. The Fergu- 

 son brothi'is, George 

 and Samuel, worked 

 their apiaries togeth- 

 I'r for some years, but 

 now own them sepa- 

 rately. Samuel F., 

 mentioned in a previ- 

 ous ramble, works his 

 apiary upon the in- 

 dependent bachelor 

 plan. He can "holler" 

 and sing around his 

 ranch, stomp the dust 

 off his feet, hang his 

 coat on any nail he 

 (leases, sweep the 

 floor or make his bed 

 once a week, wash the 

 dishes after he gets 

 a good pile ready to 

 make a worthy job of 

 it, and there's no femi- 

 ninity around to make 

 everlasting objections. 

 Like all bachelors, 

 Samuel is perfectly 

 happy. 



The Ferguson brothers are exceptional men, 

 for nearly every person we meet in this country 

 has previously been a resident of some eastern 

 State or foreign country: but they are native- 

 born Californians, their parents having arrived 

 in the Golden State in th(r early pioneer days. 



Th(; hives used in these apiaries are a modi- 

 fied Simplicity, and worked for extracted honey. 

 Mr. Ferguson's success has been marked by 

 some great yields of honey; and, again, the 

 scales have turned the other way, and the yields 

 have been light. Taking the seasons as they 

 average, Mr. F. has averaged a thousand dol- 

 lars a year for the past ten years, which, with 

 the chains that bind him, ought to make him 

 happy, and which beseems to be. 



Mr. F. has never been troubled much with 

 fruit-men, and has not been ruined with the in- 

 roads of foul brood. Learning that a neighbor, 

 Mr. Rouse, near Col ton, two miles away, had a 

 bad case of it, the 17-year-old colts were at- 



