Mav, 1919 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



307 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



In Northern California.— Your cor- 



respondent 

 must take exception to some reniiirks found 

 in E. E. Boot's article entitled "Cali- 

 fornia's Bee Problems," in April Gleanings. 

 Mr. Root in writing about conditions as he 

 sees them in the southern part of the State 

 unfortunately gives the impression that the 

 same hold true "all over the State." Our 

 bees here have certainly held their own 

 during the winter where it is, at least, as 

 cold and there is no protection, and where 

 there are thousands of colonies that had 

 eight frames of brood during March. Weak 

 colonies at this time are the result of poor 

 management and disease. The writer agrees 

 with Mr. Root that bees should be reduced 

 to one story and should be protected during 

 winter — not so much to prevent the loss of 

 colonies or loss of bees but to secure a sav- 

 ing in the amount of stores consumed. The 

 loss of heat generated by the bees and the 

 lack of protection from cold cause increased 

 consumption of honey. Aside from disease 

 our winter losses rarely exceed three per 

 cent. The problem of so many of our bee- 

 keepers is to retard early breeding and some 

 are advocating mere three- and five-frame 

 nuclei in the spring. These nuclei will breed 

 up into strong colonies for the main honey 

 flow in July. Of course, the migratory bee- 

 keeper that takes advantage of fruit, mus- 

 tard, sage, or orange bloom wants his bees 

 strong at all times and he can best bring 

 this about thru protection and reduction 

 (luring winter and by paying attention to 

 young vigorous stock and proper manipula- 

 tion during the rest of the year. 



Regarding the sack jjlan of moving bees, 

 it must be said that this would not be a wise 

 one to follow during hot weather. (Im- 

 perial Valley beekeepers please take notice.) 

 Even with a deep top-moving screen and the 

 sacks well wetted, the writer does not be- 

 lieve it would prove satisfactory in real 

 warm weather, and, under certain condi- 

 tions, which it is sometimes impossible to 

 prevent, he believes that bees clustering 

 outside the hive could very easily be crush- 

 ed. During hot weather we certainly could 

 not move without top screens, and, with 

 such in use, it would seem superfluous to 

 sack colonies. If done it would require an 

 alfalfa-meal, coffee, or, at any rate, a larger 

 sack than can be purchased for 10 cents, as 

 most of our moving is done during hot wea- 

 ther when the colonies are strong and ab- 

 solutely require an extra body. In addition 

 to this if the bees were liberated during the 

 daytime there would unquestionably be a 

 good deal of confusion. 



The first annual meeting of the California 

 Honey Producers' Co-operative Exchange 

 was held in Los Angeles on March 31, and 

 it is gratifying to the writer to announce 

 that Willis Lynch of Salida, a director of 



the Central Valley Producers' Co-operative 

 J'Jxchauge was elected president of the State 

 organization. Fred K. Howard, a director 

 and secretary-manager of the Southern Val- 

 Ic}^ Honey Producers' Co-ojjerative Ex- 

 change, another northern local, was also 

 chosen as a member of the State Board. The 

 meeting was very successful, and members 

 of all locals are to be congratulated upon 

 the selection of the new board. It is a board 

 not only representative of all sections, but 

 is likewise made up of men truly capable, 

 and men that will devote their time con- 

 scientiously and earnestly to the cause of 

 co-operative marketing. The directors feel 

 that all members will be more than pleased 

 both as to quality and price with the case 

 and can chosen by Manager Chas. B. Justice 

 of the State Exchange. 



The secretary-managers of the three north- 

 ern locals; namely, the Superior California, 

 Central Valley, and Southern Valley are 

 respectively, Mrs- Cecelia Robinson of Es- 

 parto, F. W. Burtch of Modesto, and Fred 

 K. Howard of Hanford. All our members are 

 urged to get in touch immediately with their 

 local secretaries relative to the placing of 

 their orders for cases and cans. 



Modesto, Calif. M. C. Richter. 



■» * » 



In Southern Califomia._^?;,„',°,,-- 



for May, the writer would say that ordinary 

 April inanipulations will almost suffice, ow- 

 ing to the lateness of the season. Much 

 swarming is likely to occur this month, as 

 many colonies will not get strong enough to 

 think of swarming during April. Keep a 

 close watch and either divide or equalize 

 all of those colonies showing swarm cells. 

 If you think you will have a surplus honey 

 fiOW during July or August, it might be best 

 to equalize — by a transfer of brood from the 

 strong to the weak — until all of the colo- 

 nies are up to crop-gathering strength. Then 

 make such increase as you may desire. If 

 you use excluders, look below for the queeu- 

 cells at least once every seven days. Put 

 one or two frames of sealed brood above, 

 placing the frames containing either drawn 

 combs or foundation below. Without ex- 

 cluders, the queen-cells, if any are drawn, 

 will likely be found in the super, as the 

 queen will usually go above to lay where 

 given a chance. After extracting starts, 

 swarming generally gives very little trouble. 

 If you have not already done so, you had 

 better treat all of those diseased colonies 

 while the honey flow is good. 



There appears to be a good chance for 

 some valuable discussion as to when is the 

 best time to ship bees from the alfalfa, 

 sweet clover ranges of Utah and Idaho to 

 California. Some are of the opinion that 

 early shipment is best — that is, just after 

 the season closes up there. Others say 



