1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



341 



keeper, in the old-fashioned way, with log gums 

 and straw skeps. the son became familiar with 

 the buzz and industry of the honey-bee early in 

 life, and imbibed a love for them. 



SECTION OF HARBISON'S HIVE. 



What may be termed the first real advance in 

 bee culture in this country was made about the 

 year 1843. in the invention and introduction ol 

 the Weeks patent chamber hive. Mr. Harbi- 

 son, recognizing its advantages over the old 

 straw skep in use, adopted the new invention. 

 and used it quite extensively for several years. 

 Like all young bee-keepers, he was possessed 

 with the spirit of invention; and. thinkinjz 

 there was a good field for improvement, and 

 greater possibilities for bee culture in the future. 

 Mr. H. improved upon the Weeks hive, and. 

 while retaining the inclined bottom-board, he 

 invented a movable platform upon which combs 

 could be adjusted; after which the bees would 

 attach them to the hive. The improvementad- 

 mitted of an easy transfer of combs, and the 

 Improvement was within a few steps of the lat- 

 er movable-frame hive. 



Owing to heavy winter losses, and perhaps, 

 also, to the "gold fever" that raged in so many 

 minds during the early and wonderful discover- 

 ies in California. Mr. H. resolved to seek his 

 fortune and a more g-^nial clime, and came to 

 this State in 1854. Soon after his arrival we 

 find him in the Campo Seco mining camp, in 

 Amador Co. His ventures here were disappoint- 

 ing, and, after several weeks of hard labor and 

 but little yellow metal to show for it, he left the 

 mines and found employment in the Suttervilli' 

 sawmill, near Sacramento. This business was. 

 however, distasteful; and after several months 

 work he resolved to give up the avocation for 

 which he had but little taste, and to devote 

 himself to something with which he was fa- 

 miliar. He accordingly sent to his home in 

 Pennsylvania for a general assortment of seeds, 

 and for a small invoice of fruit-trees. They 

 arrived safely, and he started the first nursery 

 of fruit and shade trees in the Sacramento Val- 

 ley; and from this and subsequent importations 

 were started the great fruit-orchards that are 

 found on both sides of the Sacramento River. 



The first shipment, of bees came to California 

 the year previous to the arrival of Mr. Harbi- 

 son. Of the first lot of 13 colonies that were 

 imported, only one survived. This was taken 

 to San Jose, and threw off three swarms the 

 first season. The owner, Mr. Shelton, being 

 killed by the explosion of the steamer Jennie 

 Lind, the colonies were sold, and brought over 

 $100 each. 



The next importations were by Mr. Wm. Buck. 

 Out of two importations amounting to 78 col- 

 onies, only 2') were safely landed. 



In 18.5.5 the first swarm of bees was brought 

 into the Sacramento Valley, and soon died, 

 which gave an impression that bees would not 

 live there. These experiments coming under 

 the observation of Mr. Harbison, he sent east 

 for one colony of bees. It arrived with but few 

 bees in it; but the building-up of this weak 

 colony, under the experienced hands of Mr. H., 

 and their rapid increase and the large amount 

 of honey gathered, demonstrated that Califor- 

 nia was to be a golden State for bee culture; 

 and in 18.57 Mr. H. started for the East to make 

 a large shipment under his own personal sui)er- 

 vision. Sixty-seven colonies were prepared 

 from his own apiaries in Pennsylvania, and, 

 after a voyage via the Isthmus to San Francis- 

 co, and then up the Sacramento River, an entire 

 distance of 5900 miles, the longest continuous 

 voyage bees had ever previously been shipped, 

 the importation arrived with a loss of five colo- 

 nies. Others were, however, so weak that a 

 doubling-down left 50 strong colonies. Other 

 larger and successful shipments were made, and 

 340 colonie<5of these i mportations and their in- 

 crease were sold for $100 per colony. 



.JOHN S. HARBISON. 



Thes(> successes gave an impetus to the im- 

 portation of bees to California: and in the fall 

 of 18.58 over 1000 colonies were shipped to the 

 State; but, owing to the inexperience of the 

 parties shipping them, less than 300 survived. 



After the importation era had become a thing 



