FEBRUARY 15, 1913 



111 



Beekeeping in the Southwest 



Louis Scholl, New Braunfels, Texas. 



RESULTS OF GOOD CROPS. 



TVe are all acquainted with the results 

 that follow the making of goods and prof- 

 itable crops. We all know what an " invig- 

 orating " et¥ect it has on us, how it livens 

 us up, and spurs us on to do better things, 

 and to greater interest in those things tliat 

 concern us in our chosen pursuit. 



These things are mentioned for the rea- 

 son that the writer is looking forward to the 

 time when beekeepers will get together more 

 often, and take into consideration some of 

 the most important matters that need im- 

 mediate attention. Jt has been, and is yet, 

 a hard matter to do very much in this di- 

 rection during years that have not been 

 profitable to the beekeeper. In the first 

 place he has lost much of the interest in 

 the business; and even if he has not, the 

 fact of his being rather short of pocket 

 money as a rule does not permit his going 

 to any meetings that may be held to discuss 

 these important matters. How different it 

 is. though, when he can jingle the bright 

 coin with which his pockets are lieavj- ! 



FAVORABLE PROSPECTS. 



Although some portions of the great Lone 

 Star State suffered somewhat severely the 

 past season, other parts of it obtained very 

 fair crops of honey, especially throughout 

 the cotton belt. There was considerable 

 cotton honey produced during the 1912 hon- 

 ey season, and this helped m.aterially in 

 bettering the final crop report for one of 

 the poorest seasons that we have experienc- 

 ed for many years, taking the entire State 

 as a wliole. 



It is gratifying indeed, however, that the 

 bees are, almost universally, in excellent 

 condition for next season, and wintering so 

 well that the}' will be in fine order generally 

 for tlie next season. Adding to these ex- 

 cellent conditions the prosjiects for a good 

 honey season this year, the beekeejiers are 

 expecting some big harvests to make up for 

 the losses, in some localities, the past two 

 seasons. 



The late fall and winter months have 

 been bountiful in good soaking rains, and 

 these have been pretty general all over this 

 large State. This, followed by an early 

 spring and a dry summer, interspersed with 

 a few good rains, is what the beekeeper 

 terms " a good thing for a big honey yield." 

 Just l^ow near we shall get to these ideal 

 conditioLS, it is too early to tell now. but 

 it is to be hoped that the present excellent 

 conditions will continue and even improve. 

 One of those " bumper crops " we used to 



speak of in years gone by would put new 

 life into the beekeepers; and such new Life 

 would show its elfect in many ways, with 

 the result that more interest would be taken 

 to make beekeeping better than it has been 

 tlie last few years. 



* * * 



BEE INSPECTION IMPORTANT. 



One important matter concerning the bee- 

 keepers, not only of Texas, but all States 

 and countries, is that of careful, systematic, 

 and effective inspection of apiaries for dis- 

 eases of bees. The time has come when we 

 must be exceedingly careful about such a 

 thing as running the risk of getting foul 

 brood or any other contagious diseases into 

 our apiaries. In this ease an ounce of pre- 

 vention is better than a pound of cure. 



The next cjuestion then is, how we can 

 best arrive at methods and means for taking 

 the proper steps to accomplish results that 

 will give us proper protection. 



Just such c^uestions as this should be 

 taken up at various gatherings of beekeep- 

 ers all over Texas at the present moment. 

 And not onh' is this of exceeding impor- 

 tance in localities where bee diseases al- 

 ready exist, but just as important where 

 they are not already present. The one idea 

 in the mind of every beekeeper should be to 

 keep it awaj^, and not wait until it has ap- 

 peared in the neighborhood. We shall not 

 attempt to say how far away we should 

 keep it ; but every beekeeper knows that the 

 further such dangerous diseases are kept 

 away the better. 



It is hoped, therefore, that the beekeeper? 

 in every State will get together and consid- 

 er what may best be done to evade any of 

 these dreaded troubles altogether, or to get 

 rid of them after they have come into a 

 neighborhood. 



It should be remembered that Texas has a 

 State foul-brood inspector in the person of 

 the State Entomologist, at College Station. 

 There is no doubt about his doing what is 

 proper in dealing with such matters, and 

 looking after the welfare of the beekeepers 

 of Texas. But it should be also remember- 

 ed that it is up to the beekeepers to lend 

 him all the assistance in their power, and to 

 aid in procuring the necessary funds with 

 which the work is to be done. And it is 

 also the duty of beekeepers of this State to 

 see whether or not these duties are perform- 

 ed properly and to the best advantage for 

 the beekeepers. They have a right to expect 

 this in return for the efforts that may be 

 made bv them. 



