96 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



February, 1918 



late as June 15 produced 60 pounds of sur- 

 plus extracted honey the past season. 



A large producer, who moved several hun- 

 dred colonies of bees from the Imperial 

 Valley to the lower Palo Verde Valley by 

 train and Ford with much work and over 

 very bad roads, reports the results not as 

 good as with those left in the original lo- 

 cality. How often many of us think some 

 other fellow has, much the best chances 

 when we can do as well right where we are. 

 This question of locality is all right, but it 

 is very much as a beekeeper told me a few 

 days ago. One of his neighbors said, "If 



I had your locations I could make big crops, 

 too." Now this man told me he would glad- 

 ly trade locations any time with this same 

 beekeeper. Be sure it is not yourself instead 

 of the location that is the weak point. 

 * » * 



Jan^iary is here and no rain of any conse- 

 qu^^nce over the southern part of California 

 this season. Hills and pastures are dry, with 

 little or no grass. Old-timers say some of 

 our best honey seasons have been those years 

 when all of the rain, practically, came after 

 New Year's. We will keep a cheerful heart 

 and hope it will prove so in 1918. 



THE beekeep- 

 ers of Hen- 

 derson coun- 

 ty have recently 



perfected a county beekeepers' association. 

 Those who attended the first meeting fi-om 

 out of the county were W. E. Jackson, of 

 the State Entomologist's office; T. A| Bow- 

 den and Campbell, of Palestine, inspector 

 and deputy of Anderson county. The pres- 

 ence of foul brood has not been determined 

 in Henderson county, but the beekeepers 

 have taken wise steps to prevent the intro- 

 duction of the disease into their county. 

 In addition to the protective quarantine the 

 inauguration of the Inspection Service tends 

 to elimination of box hives, a menace to the 

 industry. "Where the inspection work has 

 been introduced of late there has been a 

 very decided uplift in the beekeeping indus- 

 try in the county. 



* » # 



There has recently been encountered in 

 one of the counties where inspection service 

 was contemplated the old-time spirit. It is 

 a relief to say that this spirit is readily 

 disappearing in this state, and it is to be 

 hoped that the day is not far distant when 

 it will disappear entirely. We have in mind 

 the attitude of some who are hostile to or- 

 ganization, co-operation and community up- 

 lift. Such people take the attitude that they 

 cannot afford to help those about them, feel- 

 ing that by so doing they will bring more 

 honey into the market, thereby lowering the 

 price of honey, and perhaps flooding the mar- 

 ket. Such a view is indeed very narrow, 

 and fortunately it cannot persist long today. 

 It was the popular view of five years; 

 ago when a trifle excessive local production 



meant disaster. 



* * * 



The time is at hand for each beekeeper to 

 be considering spring activities in the api- 

 ary. Of course, the larger beekeepers have 

 already made their plans but too many have 

 not yet thought of their bees. Those who 

 did not give their bees attention last fall 

 will not have to worry now about spring 

 management. But even with ordinary atten- 

 tion, there will be some loss of bees this year. 



IN TEXAS 



F. B. Paddock, State Entomologist 



thru the winter 



Every owner 

 should be anx- 

 ous to learn how. 

 his bees have 

 Accordingly, as 



come 



soon as weather conditions will permit 

 each colony should be carefully examin 

 ed. All hives where the bees have died 

 should be taken care of and all combs should 

 be protected from future wax worm attack. 

 Where stores are light feed should be given. 

 There are very few who will have honey 

 available for spring feeding. In nearly 

 every case, sugar must be used. Under pres- 

 ent conditions sugar is not generally avail- 

 able in sufficient quantities except thru the 

 Texas Honey Producers' Association. It is 

 indeed fortunate that the efforts of the as- 

 sociation have been able to secure for the 

 beekeepers sugar for feeding purposes. 

 Wherever bees have survived the winter 

 they should be given all help possible. With 

 the heavy losses suffered last year over 

 such a wide area, bees will command an ex- 

 cellent price this season. So, too, honey 

 prices are expected to rule strong. 

 * * * 



The adverse climate conditions continue 

 over most of the state. Only local rains 

 have occurred, and hardly enough to settle 

 the dust. A long period of heavy rain is 

 necessary to make up the great moisture de- 

 ficiency existing everywhere. With us, the 

 total rainfall of 1917 was 15.28 whereas the 

 normal for this locality is 37.55 inches. And 

 this deficiency is in addition to a 1916 de- 

 ficiency. Unusually cold weather prevailed 

 thruout December in the form of sudden and 

 decided ' ' northers ' ' with much high wind. 

 In view of these continued adverse condi- 

 tions it is necessary to take another inven- 

 tory to see where we stand in the face of 

 another season. In the extreme southern sec- 

 tion the honey-producing weeds did not come 

 up last fall, but the bulk of honey in this 

 section is produced from trees and shrubs 

 which are as yet only little affected. Pros- 

 pects in this section remain very uncertain 

 as much depends on good rains early in the 

 season and no late freezes. Along the Gulf 

 Coast conditions and prospects are anything 



