FEBRUARY 1, 1913 



75 



Beekeeping in California 



p. C. Chadwiok, Redlands, Cal. 



Nearly half an inch of rain fell on Jan. 

 9. We are hoping it may be the beginning 

 of the end of onr long dry spell. 



* » * 



The condition of bees in general in this 

 State is about an average, judging from 

 reports received up to date. 



* * * 



Black brood is still spreading in our 

 Southland. Every beekeeper should know 

 of its approach, and prepare to combat it. 



* « » 



The price of bees has materially advanc- 

 ed in recent j^ears. There are now but few 

 for sale at $3.50 or less per colony, as was 

 (he case a few j^ears ago. 



* * * 



Some lime ago I predicted a warm wet 

 winter; but there is where I missed my 

 guess and ruined my reputation as a weath- 

 er prophet, as most of our local obsor\'ers 



do. 



* * * 



Several men in Riverside Co., who ex- 

 pected to ship their bees back from Utah, 

 are not able to do so on account of alfalfa- 

 weevil quarantine. Some Avho extracted 

 closely in anticipation of moving now find 

 that they must feed heavily. 



* » * 



While visiting T. 0. and L. L. Andrews, 

 at Corona, I saw an automobile ecjuipped 

 with an extracting-house. It was the tirst 

 1 had ever seen, and it gave me a better 

 idea of the bee business as conducted on a 

 large scale, with an auto as a mode of cjuick 

 conveyance for taking extracting equipment 



to out-apiaries. 



* * * 



Early in September I visited a beekeeper, 

 and during my conversation I mentioned 

 the imminent danger of black brood. Per- 

 fectly astounded, he ripped out an oath, 

 asking what that was. He owns in partner- 

 sliip nearly 600 colonies, but never has time 

 to read a bee paper. He will probably 

 know more of this disease some day. 



* * * 



I was interested in J. E. Crane's descrip- 

 tion of the many kinds of hives he found in 

 liis inspection work. My experience Avas 

 much the same while traveling over the 

 country the past season, with the exception 

 of box and frameless hives. We have a law 

 in this State comi)elling the use of movable 

 frames, to enable the inspector to work 

 promptly and rapidly. 



Beekeepers are, as a rule, veiy poor ad- 

 vertisers. Go into almost any chamber of 

 commerce in southern California, and if 

 you se3 any display of honey at all it is 

 not likely to be of much credit to the in- 

 dustiy. Almost all other products are bet- 

 ter represented than our own — not because 

 a display of honey would not be welcomed 

 by our commercial organizations, but just 

 through neglect of beekeepers. 



ANOTHER PLAN FOR LAYING- WORKER COLO- 

 NIES. 



Louis H. Scholl, p. 720, Nov. 15, give 

 your laying-worker colony a frame of un- 

 sealed brood, then put it in the place of a 

 strong colony. In 24 hours you will find 

 cells started, and the laying workers and 

 their brood will disappear. I have yet to 

 hear of this plan having failed. I doubt, 

 however, if it is profitable to try to save a 

 laying-worker colony at that time of the 

 year. 



BREEDING FROM THE BEST WORKERS. 



The practical ideas of practical men are 

 worth much consideration, as is shown by 

 results obtained. The jDractical work of A. 

 T. Warr & Son, of whom I have made 

 previous mention, in selecting their best 

 producing colonies for breeding purposes 

 is one such instance. While tliey favored 

 the Italian blood as much as they could, 

 the productive qualities were to be consid- 

 ered first. Owing to the advent of black 

 brood in the community they are now forc- 

 ed to Italianize for their own protection ; 

 but it is safe to say that only the best pro- 

 ducers will be used for breeding after the 

 try-out. 



APIARIES THAT CAN NOT BE REACHED BY AN 

 AUTO. 



Louis H. Scholl, page 579, Sept. 15, 

 says : "The automobile is a sign of progi'es- 

 sive beekeeping." Perhaps to a degi-ee this 

 is true; but Mr. Scholl should know that 

 there are some apiaries that can not be 

 reached by auto, the owners of which are 

 progressive enough to keep on good ranges 

 and get the honey first, regardless of the 

 mode of conveyance to be used in going to 

 and from the apiary. To them this is a 

 secondary consideration. A few good sea- 

 sons in succession would make many of us 

 l)rogressive in that way, while bad seasons 

 might for ever bar us from that class. 



