644 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 





Miscellaneous Items 





In Los Angeles and on Catalina.— During the first day of 

 the convention, Prof. Cook planned a trolley-car ride down to Long 

 Beach, on the Pacific's sandy shore, about 30 miles from Los Angeles. 

 It was found that if 100 could be pledged to go, the rate would be only 

 30 cents for the round-trip instead of 50 cents. The required number 

 was easily secured, and .so early Thursday morning all gathered at a 

 certain point, and boarded the cars for Long Beach. 



Electric cars get up some speed here in Chicago, but at times 

 these Long Beach cars seemed almost to fly. Along the line was some 

 of the best farming country we had seen in the West. There was one 

 or two dense eucalyptus woods, alfalfa fields, one apiary, and other 

 objects of interests. 



Long Beach was soon reached, and we had about an hour to stay. 

 Some of our crowd went in bathing in the Pacific, as well as in the 

 large natatorium, where the water in a tank about 40x80 feet is kept 

 at a certain temperature. The tank was about 4 feet deep at one end, 

 and gradually became deeper toward the opposite end, where it was 

 probably 7 feet deep. 



Among those who "took their morning 

 bath" in the tank, were: Prof. Cook, Messrs. 

 Hyde, Hutchinson, Hershiser, Harris, Moe, 

 Ivy(and Mrs. Ivy and child), and a number of 

 others that now we can not recall. It was 

 great sport. One would think that when 

 such 300-pounders as Hershiser tumbled in 

 there woud be an overflow, and everythini: 

 would be flooded, but evidently ample pro- 

 vision had been made for such emergency, so 

 no one of the spectators at the edge of the 

 " bath-tub " were drowned ! 



Mr. France went out on the pier, ami 

 with a fisherman's line that he borrowed, 

 dropped a small empty bottle down to get a 

 sample of the salty Pacific. He said he had a 

 sample of Atlantic water, and now wanted 

 some of the Pacific to take home. 



The time to return to Los Angeles and 

 the convention soon arrived, and all were 

 rushed back in a very short time. It was a 

 pleasant and refreshing trip. 



At the close of the Wednesday afternoon session, Mr. L. K. 

 Mercer, who had bought a -^1200 automobile with some of his honey 

 crop, took Prof. Cook, Mr. Benton and us for a spin around Los 

 Angeles. It was our first experience with that kind of a " horse and 

 buggy." Mr. Mercer had had it about a month, and seemed to know 

 how to manage it perfectly. He took us out on some of the finest 

 streets, around parks, and where we could see the best parts of the 

 city— where beautiful palms, waving pepper-trees, and the 1all 

 eucalyptus adorned the sides of the streets. It was a delightful ride, 

 for which we were indebted to one of California's biggest bee-keepers. 



The convention closed on Thursday afternoon. During the ses- 

 sions a trip to Catalina Island was planned. So about a dozen started 

 Friday morning at S o'clock for East San Pedro, about 20 miles away, 

 to take the boat to cross the 28 miles of the Pacific to the Island. It 

 was a bright morning, and promised to be a lovely day. But it is 

 needless to say that, from May to November, they said no other kind 

 of days happen there. We oten found ourselves saying in the morn- 

 ing, "Well, we're going to have a bright day to-day,'' when we 

 thought, " Why, you tenderfoot, they don't have any other kind out 

 here, day after day !" So it was bright, glaring sunshine all the time. 

 Rather hard an Eastern eyes. 



We all finally got aboard the 'ooat for Catalina — the famous outing 

 place of Southern California. The boat hadn't gone far before some 

 of the passengers seemed to feel as if they had had too much break fa-t. 

 So they began to " unload," and thus help the fish out with " a bile 

 to eat." Dr. Miller concluded he'd better go into the cabin and sit 

 down, and meditate on what he " didn't know." Mr. Hyde couldn't 

 find a vacant seat or chair, or any place to hide, so he sprawled out on 

 the carpeted floor, and tried to ''enjoy '' himself. He was a perfect 

 picture of homesickness, lonesomeness, seasickness, and general gone- 



ness and despair. He wasn't a bit sociable, and that is an unusual 

 condition for him. 



We really enjoyed the ride all the way, our stomach keeping right 

 side up and in good shape all the time. 



It took about two hours and a half to cross over to Avalon, the 

 only town on the Island of Catalina. It is situated on a beautiful, 

 small bay, on the east shore. There seemed to be but very little shore 

 to the Island, but mostly steep rocks. Avalon is built in a little cozy 

 depression almost under the high hills. At first one wonders how it 

 is possible to get out of the town except by water, but there are stage 

 roads through various parts of the Island. There is also a ranch some- 

 where on it. A certain portion is set aside as a hunting park, where 

 may be found wild mountain sheep and other animals. Sportsmen 

 may " sport " there tjy paying for the privilege. We regretted not 

 being able to stay longer and see more of Catalina. 



Right here we wish to mention one of the most cordial and kindly 

 beekeepers we met in California. His name is Wm. Ross. He went 

 to California some 13 years ago, from Ontario, Canada, on account of 

 his health, which he has almost wholly regained in that '' Land of lln 



I <^'limate,'' as we feel like calling it. 



Well, Mr. Ross has a tent-cottage on Catalina Island, where he 

 and Mrs. Ross and their youngest daughter, Bessie, spend a few weeks 

 every summer. 



I We (with Mrs. York i at once engaged a room at one of the hotels. 



:. .11 l.IAN \ \ h 111- f.l, \-.s-Hi) T'lXIM HC>AT "HI\\A," 



and then went out on one of the larger glass-bottom boats. There is 

 a smaller row-boat (shown herewith) which also has a glass bottom. 

 In this latter we took a ride on Satur.'ay morning. It belongs to a 

 man named " Julian," who has been there for about 40 years, and 

 knows just the best route to row people so as to see through the glass 

 bottom the greatest variety of shells, fishes, seaweed, etc. It is truly 

 wonderful how much of interest can be seen through that window at 

 the bottom of the boat. Why, one can see down from 50 to 100 feet, 

 as the water is so clear. Never go to Avalon without taking a ride or 

 two on the glass-botlom boat. 



After the trip in the larger glass-bottom boat, Friday afternoon, 

 on which trip Mr. Ross and Bessie also went, he invited us to come to 

 their tent-home for tea, which should consist of some bread, milk, 

 and California's best honey. It was a rare treat. "Mother" Ross 

 just took us wanderers right in, and made us feel right at home. And 

 such a meal ! Well, the bread and honey and milk disappeared won- 

 derfully fast, we can assure you. Such appetites as we did have at 

 Catalina! It seemed that everything tasted so good. 



During the evening there was a fine band concert for the summer 

 resorters of ihe village, but we were tired, so sought our room and 

 tried to "sleep the sleep of the just.'' 



The next morning, we hired a row-boat, and with Mrs. York and 

 Mr. Ross iried to do a little fishing in Old Pacific. We thought to 

 catch a 30 or 40 pound yellowtail, or even a leaping tuna wouldn't 

 have been despised ! But we didn't get a bite I 



About 11 a.m. we went to Ihe bath-house and rented a suitable 

 costume, then got into the Pacific with the rest of the bathers. Miss 

 Bessie had a white cotton flannel suit in which she made a pretty 

 picture. And she could swim in fine style, being i|uiie at home in the 

 water. 



At 3:40 we were to lake the boat for F.tist San I'edro again, and 



