896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



with the present average prices, an average 

 of five dollars per colony is not too high, 

 although the census report gives the total 

 valuation of 47,285 colonies at $150,164. 



Of the 50,000 colonies, less than 20,000 

 are found outside of the Willamette Valley 

 and coast divisions. Apparently, then, the 

 honey industry is in western Oregon, but in 

 reality only about half as much honey is 

 produced in these two divisions as in the 

 others. Many of the bees in the first two 

 sections are barely self-supporting, and 

 their only value is in pollinating the fruit- 

 trees. The surplus gained from the more 

 thrifty colonies is generally small. The 

 large number in these sections is due to the 

 number of small farms with from one to 

 thirty colonies. 



Taking the State as a whole, individual 

 apiaries produce from a few pounds to a 

 carload (a carload is figured at about 40,000 

 pounds) . The number of colonies owned by 

 individual beekeepers varies from a few to 

 six or seven hundred. 



In addition to the honey-producing api- 

 aries, there are situated at different points 

 in the State three queen and bee rearing 

 apiaries. 



Discussing each region separately, we find 

 that in the Coast division some of the finest 

 honey produced anywhere is secured from 

 wild plants such as vine maple (Acer cir- 

 cinatum Pursh.j, and a plant known as fire- 

 weed {Epilohiu7n spicatum Lam.). No large 

 apiaries are found in this section, and the 

 average surplus is small. Section honey 

 only is produced, and only a small amount 

 reaches outside markets, as the local demand 

 is gi-eater than the supply. In this section 

 climatic conditions regulate to a great extent 

 the amount of honey produced. Continued 



rains in the spring during the blossoming 

 period of fruit-trees and other plants often 

 result in a decreased surplus. 



In the Willamette Valley section, condi- 

 tions are extremely variable. In the valley 

 proper there are no commercial apiaries of 

 anj' size, and in bad years many bees starve 

 in the fall for lack of stores. Several men 

 in this section have found that it is more 

 desirable to produce extracted honey as the 

 bees seem to gather more honey in this way 

 under adverse conditions. Alfalfa can not 

 be grown with success ; and as there are not 

 many flowering plants to be found after 

 July 1, except back in the hills, the surplus 

 must be gathered in the spring. Continued 

 spring rains are also a factor here, and 

 oftentimes the blossoming period passes 

 without the bees being able to spend more 

 than a few days in gathering honey. Getting 

 back on to the slopes of the Coast Range 

 and the Cascade Mountains more favorable 

 conditions are found, and a fair surplus can 

 usually be secured from the more variable 

 honey-producing plants and the later bloom- 

 ing season. 



The division known as southern Oregon, 

 comprising only three counties, is different 

 from the other sections of the State in that 

 the region is not arid, but does not have as 

 much rain as the Willamette Valley and 

 Coast divisions. In addition to several wild 

 honey-plants which grow abundantly in this 

 section, alfalfa is grown successfully, and 

 fruit-bloom offers a fine pasturage while it 

 lasts. 



The other three divisions, central Oregon, 

 the Blue Mountain District, and southern 

 Oregon, have conditions which are praeti- 

 cfilly the same so far as beekeeping is con- 

 (L'.ned. That the beekeeping industry of 

 these sections is in its 

 infancy can hardly be 

 doubted by one taking 

 a trip through those 

 sections where alfalfa 

 can be grown success- 

 fully. Here is also 

 found a vast territory 

 wFich at present is in 

 sage brush, but may 

 some day be planted to 

 alfalfa, and will give 

 increased area for bee 

 pasturage. In the vi- 

 cinity of Ontario and 

 Vale, a large alfalfa 

 district, one can find 

 some of the State's 

 largest and most pro- 

 ductive apiaries. Much 

 of the alfalfa is grown 



