GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



October, 1919 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



In Southern California. 



We are very 

 sorry, in- 

 deed, to report the retirement of Mr. and 

 Mrs. J. D. Bixby from the editorship of the 

 Western Honey Bee. Mr. Bixby took over 

 the paper at a time when failure was in 

 sight and has made a grand success of it. 

 A large subscription list and quite a bank 

 account were turned over to the new editor 

 and treasurer. Mr. Bixby is a practical bee- 

 keeper, who did not need the income from 

 the paper but did the work from a pure love 

 of it and a desire to help his fellow men. 



When the comb-honey f>roducer is not of- 

 fered as much for his honey per pound as 

 the extracted honey is bringing, it is no 

 wonder that he is asking himself if it is 

 not about time to make a change. Now 

 after visiting with a number of comb-hon- 

 ey producers and hearing from them of their 

 success in making good crops, I feel that it 

 would be a mistake to change over to ex- 

 traeted-honey production. There are several 

 reasons for this, the first being that they 

 are already equipped for comb-honey pro- 

 duction. There would be a big expense in- 

 curred in making the change. Second, they 

 understand the methods necessary to pro- 

 duce comb honey. And then, third, I find 

 that in good seasons they get in many in- 

 stances as many pounds per colony as the 

 extracted-honey producer. The war demand 

 threw prices all out of balance — not only on 

 honey but on many other commodities — and 

 most of us feel sure that comb honey will 

 again bring prices much above that of ex- 

 tracted. 



The San Bernardino and Eiverside Coun- 

 ty clubs held a joint field meet and picnic 

 at Urbita Springs, near San Bernardino, on 

 August 28. About 100 beekeepers were 

 present from all parts of the two counties. 

 Among the speakers were R. Powell of 

 Eiverside, J. D. Bixby of Covina, Eay Fair- 

 child of Redlands, and A. K. Whidden of 

 Hemet. A rising vote of thanks was given 

 Mr. and Mrs. Bixby for their excellent work 

 of editing and publishing the Western Hon- 

 ey Bee. Universal regrets were expressed 

 at the necessity of their giving up the work. 



Many beekeepers over the southern part 

 of the State find their bees very short of 

 stores, and some will find it necessary to 

 feed them. It was not so much a scarcity 

 of bloom as a failure of nectar-secretion 

 that caused this condition. The reports 

 from the bean fields have not materially 

 changed since last month. A few will get 

 some surplus honey but the majority will 

 feel satisfied if the colonies gather enough 

 honey for winter stores. 



The writer enjoyed a three weeks' camp- 

 ing trip thru Inyo and Mono counties during 

 August. Trout abound in the mountain lakes 

 xnd streams, and deer are to be found in 

 many of the mountains. Inyo County stands 



first in our State as a comb-honey-producing 

 district. While this season 's crop will not 

 be a record breaker, it promises to be a 

 good crop. Alfalfa is grown extensively 

 where irrigation is practical, and it fur- 

 nishes much honey. Sweet clover grows 

 along the ditches, roadways, and waste 

 places wherever it can get a foothold. I 

 found small patches in the most inaccessible 

 places while fishing along the mountain 

 streams. Away back in the hills the sweet 

 clover is getting quite a start. Beemen and 

 many farmers are taking considerable pains 

 to scatter the seed along all streams, irri- 

 gation ditches, and moist lands. While the 

 stock do not take to it at first, preferring 

 the native grasses and alfalfa, nevertheless 

 they soon become accustomed to it and do 

 well on it. In the Owens River Valley of 

 Inyo County, it yields nectar until the frost; 

 wliile with us in the lower valleys it usual- 

 ly dries up in July or August. L. A. Bell, 

 living about five miles from Independence, 

 Inyo County, has a fine wild-buckwheat 

 range. Some of the crops he has made in 

 former years will compare favorably with 

 our banner crops in southern California. 

 Disease gave the beemen of that district 

 much concern for several years, but most 

 of them feel that they have it under control 

 at the present time. 



The beekeepers are much encouraged with 

 the prospects of a good price and feel that 

 our Honey Producers' Exchange has done 

 much to repay them for their efforts. 



Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. 



* -jf 4t 



In Northern California.— ^^^ p/^^ ^^4 



of August 

 Gleanings, A. E. Lusher wrote that while 

 moving colonies he never sprinkled them 

 with water, adding that "every one I gave 

 least bit to always smothered." On page 587 

 of September Gleanings, Dr. C. C. Miller sur- 

 mised that possibly Mr. Lusher gave only a 

 small amount of water to colonies on the 

 verge of smothering, and, had more water 

 been given, such colonies would have been 

 saved. Dr. Miller 's conjecture must be 

 right. The writer cannot understand why 

 the application of the least bit of water 

 should always cause colonies to suffocate. 

 However; he believes Mr. Lusher wishes to 

 point out that water is by no means the first 

 consideration in moving, but that bees can 

 be moved under practically any condition 

 and at any time and for distances of about 

 one hundred miles without giving water. 

 Your correspondent believes this to be a 

 fact; at any rate, he follows this in practice. 

 Sufficient room and ample ventilation are of 

 first importance. A strong colony in warm 

 weather must have these; but if crowded and 

 with little ventilation no amount of water 

 will save them — not even ice water. Of 

 course, the degree of warmth and ventila- 



