GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



March, 1919 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



best colony there were eggs in five frames 

 out of the ten frames. This colony had 

 brood almost ready to seal. It would seem 

 that every beekeeper would be anxious to 

 learn the condition of his bees as early in 

 the spring as possible. Such an examina- 

 tion is certain to disclose many weak spots 

 which can be strengthened. 



The great demand for bees is already felt. 

 One of the biggest shippers is sending an 

 agent out to locate every bee that may be 

 for sale. Such effort will result in much 

 good for all concerned, in that it will take 

 bees from a jirobable non-productive situa- 

 tion to one of extreme production. Most of 

 the shippers of package bees have already 

 booked all the orders they can fill with nor- 

 mal conditions. Since it has become possi- 

 l>le to ship bees by parcel post, the express 

 companies have taken a different attitude 

 toward the package trade. A year ago they 

 were more than indifferent to the pleas for 

 better service. Now they are making in- 

 quiries as to how their service can be im- 

 proved. 



On Jan. 28 the Dallas County beekeepers 

 held their second regular meeting in the 

 Chamber of Commerce rooms. This associa- 

 tion has recently been organized, very large- 

 Iv thru the efforts of the extension service 

 of the A. & M. College. The start which has 

 been made is certainly very promising for 

 the future. At this second meeting there 

 were 76 j^eople in attendance. Many mem- 

 bers reside within the city but have become 

 interested in beekeeping from the stand- 

 point of backlot effort or a small outyard. 

 Much important business was transacted 

 and steps were taken toward securing an in- 

 spector, as foul brood is known to exist in 

 the county. 



The second annual meeting of the county 

 apiary inspectors, held on Jan. 24 and 25, 

 was considered a very profitable meeting by 

 those who attended. There were 18 in- 

 spectors present, sickness preventing the 

 six others from attending. These meetings 

 have become necessary, as they bring to- 

 gether once a year all of the inspectors so 

 they can prepare their plans for the coming 

 year. Much discussion w^as given to pro- 

 posed changes in the foul-brood regulations 

 concerning the shipment of honey. 



College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock. 

 * * » 



In Florida '^^^ beekeepers of Florida 



should thank Hafford 

 Jones, food administrator for Hillsborough 

 County, for the interest be is taking in the 

 matter of spraying during citrus bloom. 

 Several articles have appeared in the news- 

 papers and more are to follow, so let us all 

 do our utmost to educate the orange-growers 

 whilst they are in the mood to take notice. 

 I have heard of two cases where apiaries 

 were ruined last year by ill-advised spray- 

 ing with arsenate of lead. Don't forget 



tliat if one little no-account grove is poison- 

 sprayed on your range, it may mean the 

 loss of your crop, if not of your bees. 



Another question that is worthy of con- 

 sideration arises from the difficulty that is 

 being experienced in buying bees in Florida. 

 Last year was such a prosjierous one that 

 no one is willing to sell, and the few small 

 lots that could be bought have been picked 

 u]> by the established boemen near by. Let- 

 ters are coming in daily asking where bees 

 can be bought, and there appears to be none 

 for sale. Many Northern beemen have 

 stated their intention of coming to Florida 

 and bringing their bees with them, and it 

 is such letters that cause anxietj^ Is there 

 not some danger of foul brood being intro- 

 duced into Florida if this movement of bees 

 l)egins? Most beekeepers will be careful, 

 but some will not. At present Florida is 

 free from foul brood, but we have no law to 

 jnevent the shipment of diseased bees into 

 the State; and should it once get firmly es- 

 tablished it would prove disastrous to the 

 honey industry, for it is safe to say that 

 not one in twenty would know how to cope 

 Avith foul brood. Not only would the bee- 

 keepers suffer, but the orange-growers 

 would find a considerable decrease in their 

 crops. It seems reasonable to believe that 

 if the beemen and the orange-men will com- 

 bine, they shoiild have influence enough to 

 insist upon the Legislature 's preventing the 

 shipping of diseased bees into the State. 

 Can 't we take hold of this situation before 

 it is too late? In speaking of foul brood to 

 one extensive honey producer, he expressed 

 the belief that it would be a good thing if 

 disease would clean out all the small api- 

 aries. It might be good for a few who have 

 had experience in the North, but it would be 

 far from good for most of us and also for 

 the small orange-growers that do not enjoy 

 the privilege of being near large aynaries. 



It appears there has been a considerable 

 flow from the pennyroyal and maple, tho it 

 is too early to look for reports of surplus. 

 Those fortunate enough to get these flows 

 should have their bees in fine shape for the 

 orange, which will be in full bloom by the 

 time this appears. There will certainly be 

 a very heavy orange bloom this year, for 

 the buds are already showing in great pro- 

 fusion at this time (Feb. 5). This bloom is 

 coming also on the old wood, and most bee- 

 keepers seem to think that such a bloom 

 yields better than one that comes of the 

 new growth. It is probable that another 

 bloom will arrive with the new growth, and 

 so lengthen the flow. I believe that is what 

 haj)pened in 1914 when the flow lasted from 

 Feb. 20 to Apr. 15. In that case we shall 

 make a fine crop, but otherwise our bees 

 will not be in condition to do their best 

 work in this locality, for we do not get pol- 

 len early enough to start brood-rearing. 



Apopka, Fla. Harry Hewitt. 



