MAY 15, 1913 



341 



Fig. 2. — Withdrawing the uncapped frame from the super. 



born. Entomologist at the Oklahoma Agi'i- 

 cultural College. 



I do not know of any State in the Union 

 that offers greater promises in an industrial 

 way than Oklahoma. Its cities and towns 

 are growing by leajDS and bounds. Im- 

 mense beds of asphalt and coal have been 

 discovered there. Gas and oil wells are be- 

 ing put down in many places throughout 

 the State. Agriculture is developing at a 

 rapid rate, and beekeeping is one of the 

 industries that has a future. The trains 

 are loaded with home-seekers and butchers 

 and bakers and candlestick-makers, suckers 

 and fakirs rushing to the land of gold and 

 sunshine. I said "suckers." I do not knoAV 

 any other term that adequately expresses 

 the large class of people who buy land out 

 in that western countiy, some of which is 

 worthless, and buy with their eyes shut. 



Let me say as I have said concerning 

 Florida and every other new State that is 

 being rapidly developed. There are fa- 

 kirs and suckers by the hundreds; but 

 having said this, there are some excellent 

 opportunities for men of brain and caution 

 to invest in land that will bring some splen- 

 did returns. But there are other lands that 

 will take a lifetime before they will bring 

 the price that has been paid for them. Not 

 until the population of Oklahoma becomes 

 congested and elbows touch will this land 

 not so good be developed. In this connec- 

 tion let me say that there is a great deal of 



ditference in the productiveness of land in 

 Oklahoma and Kansas. Some of it will 

 yield immense crops, and some of it poor 

 crops. Pictures showing some fabulous 

 yields, accompanied with photos or half- 

 tone engravings, are sent out broadcast over 

 the country. They catch the eye of the get- 

 rich-quick fellows, who, of course, swallow 

 the bait, hook, bob, and sinker. They leave 

 a good job in the East, sell out, and move 

 their families. There are hundreds of such 

 families Avho have been robbed of their 

 hard-earned money. It makes one's heart 

 bleed to see them stranded on poor or 

 worthless land, and no money to go else- 

 where. The land shark got it all. And while 

 Gleanings is willing to show that there are 

 splendid opportunities in some of this west- 

 ern country, it also enjoins caution. Do not 

 take the statement of the man who has the 

 land for sale. Spend a little time in the 

 country, and gather all the information you 

 can. There are thousands of honest men 

 who will tell you the truth if you will take 

 pains to look for it. This is not only true 

 of Florida and Oklalioma, but other States 

 in the Union. 



Now, then, how about beekeeping in Ok- 

 lahoma, and I might also class with it Kan- 

 sas, for the climate and soil of the two 

 States are much the same? Alfalfa is Deing 

 grown in both States as it never was be- 

 fore. The Kansas farmer once supposed 

 that the only thing he could raise was corn ; 



