October, 1915. 



339 



American l^ee Journal 



tonwine, first; A. J. McCarty, second; 

 best case fancy comb honey, Milton 

 Cantonwine, first ; D. W. Spangler, sec- 

 ond; best case No. 1 comb honey, A. 



J. McCarty, first. 



Boulder beekeepers were not repre- 

 sented in the e.xhibits, but another year 

 they should be. 



Caufornia ^ Bee-Keeping 



Conducted by J. E. Pleasants, OranBe. Calif. 



Honey Crop in Southern California 



The crop in southern California aver- 

 aged from 50 to 60 pounds per colony 

 only, as nearly as can be ascertained, 

 for this season. This light yield was 

 due to rather extreme weather condi- 

 tions in the spring, in some localities 

 to the ravages of the sage moth larvae, 

 but most largely to the presence of 

 European foulbrood. This has been 

 almost an epidemic in our immediate 

 section this year. Out of about 8000 

 colonies in our county we found 1000 

 diseased with this malady, while we 

 found only 25 cases of American foul- 

 brood. We have worked hard on the 

 latter for a number of years, and have 

 it practically stamped out. But now 

 we are confronted with the European, 

 and the discouragement that always 

 accompanies its advent. It is a hard 

 thing to deal with, owing to the little 

 that is understood as to the method of 

 carrying the infection, but our skilled 

 beekeepers are taking hold of the prob- 

 lem with a will and we expect to win 

 out. Increase has been small this year ; 

 in fact, I doubt if increase has been 

 sufficient to make good the losses 

 caused by disease. 



Our honey was of a most excellent 



quality in the sage region. The first 

 two runs were water-white of heavy 

 body. We were interested in Mr. Fos- 

 ter's remarks in September Bee Jour- 

 nal, on the use of honey in cooking. 

 There is quite a field to be opened up 

 in that direction. We hope the Col- 

 orado Station will issue a bulletin on 

 that subject for distribution. 



The GfeTillea robusla, or " silky oak " 

 referred to by Mr. Rayment in Septem- 

 ber issue of the American Bee Journal 

 is grown to quite an extent in south- 

 ern California as an ornament, but not 

 so much as formerly, as it is found to 

 be quite easily broken by the winds in 

 winter, and many beautiful trees are 

 thus given a ragged appearance. It has 

 been largely replaced as a street tree 

 by the black wood acacia. The draw- 

 ing by Mr. Rayment of the spray of 

 blossoms with the "honey-eater" is 

 certainly very beautiful. 



The bees here now are working 

 heavily on the species of eucalyptus in 

 bloom at this season. The " sugar 

 gum " and ironbarks are musical these 

 mornings with the hum of bees on their 

 sprays of bloom. The autumn bloom- 

 ing eucalypts should be more largely 

 planted on the waste lands on our bee 

 ranches. 



Conducted by J. L. Bter, Mt. Joy. Ontario. 



Bad Weather 



On Sept. 13, we still have heavy down- 

 pours of rain so frequently that hun- 

 dreds of acres of heavy crops of grain 

 will be a total loss. But for the last 

 two weeks, whenever we have not had 

 rain, the weather has been warm — 

 some days quite sultry. There is noth- 

 ing doing here, so far as the bees are 

 concerned, as buckwheat is past. But 

 at the north yard the asters and golden- 

 rods are yielding freely, and once more 

 we will have the bees wintering on 

 stores that generally give a bad ac- 

 count of themselves, though our bees 

 at this yard wintered perfectly on this 

 honey last year. 



There is nothing to do but risk it 

 again, as brood-nests as well as supers 

 are filling, and by the time the flow is 

 over the weather is too cool to tear 

 brood-nests to pieces to extract the 



honey. As was done last fall, we will 

 feed the colonies in Langstroth hives 

 all the sugar syrup they will take after 

 the supers are ofT, and the large hives 

 will have to take chances, leaving them 

 as they are. 



Ontario Convention 



Present intentions are to hold the 

 Ontario convention during the last 

 week in November. This is later than 

 usual, and a large number of beekeep- 

 ers, who are also deer hunters, will 

 have a chance to attend the conven- 

 tion and yet not miss theirannual hunt. 

 We are hoping for a large attendance 

 from all parts of Ontario as well as 

 other Provinces and are e.xpecting a 

 number of friends from over the line. 

 Last fall the latter were conspicuous 

 by their absence, and we sincerely 

 hope to see old-time friends and many 



others present. 



One attraction alrea ly secured, I be- 

 lieve, is Dr. Phillips, of Washington, 

 D. C, who has promised to be present 

 and give a number of illustrated ad- 

 dresses. The date being later than 

 usual, those who winter their bees in 

 the cellar will have their work done so 

 that they will be able to come, too. 

 The trip at that time of the year when 

 work is not pressing will be a source 

 of pleasure even if nothing be gained 

 from a financial standpoint. 



Fair Crop 



While the season has been a peculiar 

 one in Ontario in many respects, yet 

 after all the ups and downs, the major- 

 ity of sections have given a fair yield 

 of honey. In our own case, while the 

 crop is light in York county apiaries, 

 the northern apiary has been fairly 

 generous in returns, so we are not at 

 all pessimistic. 



By the way, I have never before 

 tasted anything better than some honey 

 produced at that apiary this year, a 

 blend of willow herb and basswood. It 

 is simply exquisite. I am sorry to say 

 we have none to sell as the supply was 

 limited, and our own year's reserve for 

 our family's use is about 300 pounds. 



* » » 



Good Prospects for Clover 



Owing to the great amount of rain, 

 clover is coming on abundantly and, 

 good winter assured, 1016 should be a 

 genuine clover year. Some have ex- 

 pressed doubts as to the clover winter- 

 ing well if we should have a severe 

 season, as the plants are rank and ten- 

 der. But in the fall of 1912 we had 

 somewhat similar conditions with rank 

 growths of clover, and the plants never 

 came through better. This comment 

 is of course in relation to alsike clover, 

 as white clover generally winters no 

 matter how the plants are, provided 

 they are alive in the fall — late summer 

 drouths being the chief danger. 



The Value of Proximity of Water in 

 Spring 



Often I am asked by beginners the 

 proper way to face hives in an apiary. 

 Many of our best apiarists use the 

 quadruple case for wintering, and they 

 have the bees, during winter and sum- 

 mer, facing all points of the compass. 



It appears to make little difference in 

 results, no matter which way they face, 

 but personally I much prefer the south 

 entrance. It is the coolest during a 

 time when coolness is desired, while 

 during early spring when warmth is 

 required, it is the warmest. All our 

 bees except those at the Cashel apiary 

 face south, and the picture shown will 

 explain why we did not face the hives 

 south in this yard. The picture was 

 taken some distance from the bees, so 

 that the slope would show plainly. 

 The ground slopes to the west, and of 

 course it was much easier to place the 

 hive stands facing that way, as I like 

 the hives to lean well forward for out- 

 door wintering. They have been placed 

 that way for two seasons, but even if 

 it will take a lot of work to change 



