100 



GLEA2JINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



brood Inspector and State Entomologist in 

 the Department of Agriculture, and his 

 deputy inspector, Mr. Morris, who is also 

 President of the Association. Space will 

 not permit us to give a report at this time. 



PARCEL POST FOR BEESWAX. 



A FEW days ago a beekeeper sent us five 

 or six pounds of wax by parcel post. The 

 wrapi^ing consisted only of paper and 

 string's; and when the parcel reached us, 

 the wrapping was nearly gone, and the 

 strings just barely held together the cakes 

 of wax. There is no reason why beeswax 

 can not be sent by parcel post provided it 

 is put in a strong burlap sack. The ordi- 

 nary paper wrapping is insufficient to stand 

 the rough handling by mail. In fact, we 

 may say that beeswax in small quantities 

 should never be sent in any thing less se- 

 cure than a wooden box or a good strong 

 sack. Paper wrapping, even by express, 

 has been broken too many times to warrant 

 the risk by either express or mail in a paper 

 wrapping. 



THE CALIFORNIA WINTER FREEZE AND ITS 

 EFFECT ON THE MOUNTAIN-SAGE CROP. 



Mr. R. M. Spencer, of the R. M. Spencer 

 Apiaries Co., of Nordhoff, Cal., write? that 

 the freeze in that State will cut the sage- 

 honey crop more than half. What is true 

 of sage is also true of the sumac, which 

 they get in July. Besides the freeze, they 

 report that they have had no rain up to 

 Jan. 14; and he therefore thinks that Cali- 

 fornia will not do much this year in the way 

 of furnishing sage honey. This is regi-etta- 

 ble, as the mountain sage is getting to be a 

 vei-y popular and good-selling honey. 



Later: — Almost in the same mail comes 

 another letter, dated Jan. 17, from Mr. 

 Allen Jenkins, of Westgate, Cal.. who says 

 they are having copious rains, and every- 

 body is rejoicing. As this is three days lat- 

 er tiian the letter from Mr. Spencer, we are 

 in hopes that the needed rain has come in 

 his locality as well. See also Mr. Chad- 

 wick's statement in his department. 



GOOD BEE LOCATIONS IN OKLAHOMA AND 

 KANSAS. 



In an early issue we shall give an account 

 of our trip to Oklahoma and Kansas, and 

 sometliing concerning their great possibil- 

 ities in the line of beekeeping. Alfalfa is 

 being grown very largely in those two 

 States. Strange to relate, bees and bee- 

 keepers have not followed in its wake; yet 

 alfalfa in Kansas and Oklahoma yields 

 honey — not so bountifully, of coui-se, as in 



the irrigated regions, but enough so that 

 beekeeping can be made a very profitable 

 industry — especially so as the country is not 

 overstocked. The beeyards will necessarily 

 have to be small, and wit Inn short distances 

 of the rivers or creeks and valleys. In Okla- 

 homa, cotton is yielding at present a large 

 amount of honey. The climate of both 

 States is delightful — particularly that of 

 Oklahoma. We do not wonder that there is 

 a great rush of eastern people into the 

 State. There are, of course, " suckers " and 

 fakirs by the thousand. But the State is 

 full of honest men ; and if one will keep liis 

 eyes and ears open he can learn the truth. 

 Right here let us say that some of the land 

 in both States is comparatively poor, be- 

 cause it is away from water or too near the 

 rock ; but in the valleys and along the course 

 of creeks and rivers there are many fine 

 farms, and also some excellent bee country. 

 More anon. 



POUND PACKAGES OP BEES NOT ADMITTED TO 

 THE PARCEL-POST PRIVILEGE. 



In this issue, in the Heads of Grain de- 

 partment, page 131, a correspondent asks 

 if bees without combs can be sent by parcel 

 post. In our reply we have explained that 

 this can not be done, and why. The reason 

 we make mention of it here is to make sure 

 that no one make the attempt to send a 

 pound or two of bees by mail with the same 

 result that happened 35 years ago, when 

 even queen-bees and their attendants were 

 barred from the mails. While the local 

 postmaster would refuse to accept such a 

 package, he might let it go through, with 

 the result that we might have serious trou- 

 ble on our hands. The Postmaster-general, 

 or, rather, the Third Assistant, has more 

 authority than any Representative or Sena- 

 tor, in that he can put a ruling into effect 

 that might make or unmake the entire queen 

 business in the United States. Let us pro- 

 ceed cautiously ; and when we have perfect- 

 ed a combless cage by which Ave can send 

 bees by the half-pound, pound, or two or 

 three pounds by express, we shall then be 

 in better shape to go before (he Department 

 and ask for a ruling than we now are. 



Later: — The expected has happened. Bees 

 sent by parcel post in a poorly-made cage 

 " broke loose." Particulars in next issue. 



REPORT OF APIARY INSPECTOR OF TENNESSEE. 



In the eighth annual report of the Ten- 

 nessee State Board of Entomology', Dr. J. 

 S. Ward, newly appointed as State Inspec- 

 tor of Apiaries, gives a good report of the 

 first six months of his commission. The 

 month of June was spent in inspecting in 



