May, 1918 



GLKAJSINOS IN BEE CULTURE 



289 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



ducers Co-oijerative Exi-haiige hopes to ac- 

 complish is the drafting of a new law, and, 

 by ftieans of the Exchange 's united represen- 

 tation of the beekeeijers of the state, to se- 

 cure its passage. M. C. Eichter. 

 Modesto, Calif. 



In Southern California — ^ ^ ^' ^\^ Pf, 



never ui all 

 the years since bees were first brought to 

 southern California has there been a season 

 like the present. During one whole year, or 

 until Feb. 17, scarcely enough rain fell to lay 

 the dust. From Feb. 17 to date (Apr. 3) 

 from 8 to 16 inches have fallen over the 

 honey-producing sections of the State. Even 

 tho the ground is getting dry and rain is 

 again needed, crops of all kinds promise well, 

 and honey is no exception. Even the orange, 

 that is always irrigated, will yield much 

 better when thoroly wet by nature 's rain- 

 fall. Sages and wild buckwheat are looking 

 better every day. Some difference of opin- 

 ion exists as to the probability of the black 

 sage in this section yielding a full crop ow- 

 ing to the lateness of the rainfall. Usually 

 this plant starts growing in January and 

 during some of our good years, I have seen 

 six inches of new growth in February. At 

 present the new growth measures only three 

 or four inches. A great deal will depend 

 upon the weather during April, May, and 

 June as these are our princijial honey-pro- 

 ducing months. With warm, balmy weather 

 and not too hot, we may expect great growth 

 from all wild vegetation, and growth means 

 blossoms, and blossoms mean honey. 



The series of meetings held in different 

 parts of southern California, with Federal 

 and State bee-experts present, have been of 

 great benefit to beekeepers. I do not think 

 any of us could listen to the splendid ad- 

 dresses of such men as Demuth, Atwater, 

 Coleman, Wein stock or Massey and not get 

 many good ideas. Much interest in the 

 California Honey Producers' Co-operative 

 Exchange was manifested, but where there 

 are strong beekeepers' clubs, working satis- 

 factorily, the members are inclined to think 

 that they are not much in need of this or- 

 ganization and are slower in taking up the 

 plan. Consequently, educational work along 

 co-operative lines is quite necessary to prop- 

 erly instruct beekeepers in the advantages 

 of state-wide organizations. 



To get the real practical side, some of the 

 beekeepers of Riverside County spent a day 

 with the bee-experts visiting apiaries. Here 

 is where the heart-to-heart talks seem to be 

 at their best. Nor do we get all of the good 

 ideas from the experts. In visiting one man 's 

 apiary, we found neatness personified. More 

 than 300 10-frame hives were located on a 

 piece of ground just 100 feet square and 

 did not seem crowded. The hives have a 

 %-inch entrance, when clear, and an en- 



trance closer that is ahead of anything I 

 ever saw or heard of. A change of position 

 gave an entrance of i^ by 5, or % by 12, or 

 full size, or closed the entrance entirely. 



Bees in the orange districts in most cases 

 are in good condition. The honey flow com- 

 ing at least a month later than usual will 

 be of great benefit to many beekeepers. 

 Colonies that were weak and light in stores 

 have had time to build up and should make 

 a good surplus. The oranges are just about 

 ready to blossom and in a week or 10 days 

 we can look for the honey to begin to come 

 in. 



Buyers have been around since Mar. 15 

 ready to contract for our 1918 crop. How 

 to know what is our just due as to price is 

 our great question. Coming, as our orange 

 honey does, almost two months earlier than 

 most other kinds, it is hard to set a price. 

 L L. Andrews. 



In Idaho Additional reports continue to 



indicate that winter losses in 

 southern Idaho will be extremely light. Sev- 

 eral honey produce's with 150 to 350 colonies 

 report losses of less than 5 per cent. Another 

 states he lost only one colony out of about 

 500. but this is unusual and credit should 

 be given this man for his thoro winter pre- 

 paration and attention to detail. It is prob- 

 able that the average loss will range from 

 5 to 10 per cent, this not taking into con- 

 sideration spring dwindling. 



A number of coTnmercial producers state 

 that in their districts ranchers are plowing 

 Lip alfalfa and seeding tliis ai-reage to wheat. 

 These men are attracted by the high price 

 of wheat, and, no doubt, the difficulty ex- 

 perienced in marketing alfalfa hay in cer- 

 tain parts of this State last fall and winter 

 has some bearing in the matter. Several 

 producers are now seeking new range for 

 bees at present located near the plowed acre- 

 age. 



The above comment on range brings to 

 mind the fact that repeated inquiry has been 

 made in this immediate territory the past 

 few years by Eastern beekeepers searching 

 for new locations. Letters of information 

 liave been forwarded to inquirers saying this 

 range is now overstocked with bees and 

 no open range is available; further, that a 

 change of location might be made by pur- 

 chasing an outfit already located here. The 

 Boise Valley is badly congested at the pres- 

 ent time. Beekeepers of towns located in 

 that valley are continually working over into 

 range of neighboring towns in all directions. 

 The Payette Valley is also heavily over- 

 stocked, with apiarists of various towns 

 working into neighboring range — not only 

 in the valley but in other near-by territory. 

 Some inclination is shown by the larger 

 apiarists to ignore the smaller beekeeper, 

 and instances are known where out-yards 



