502 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



22 miles east of Los Angeles, and about Riverside, in the new county of the same 

 name. Equally as good oranges come from Butte and Placer counties, all of 500 

 miles further north. Apricots and peaches and prunes do splendidly in the lower 

 counties, while cherries do better in Alameda county, opposite the metropolis, than 

 anywhere else. Raisin grapes do well almost anywhere, though the greatest raisin 

 country in the world is in Fresno county. The great fruit counties are Alameda, 

 Santa Clara, Solano, Orange, Butte, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tu- 

 lare, Ventura and Yola. 



It is estimated, from what figures that were available, that 323,915,185 

 pounds of fruit were shipped from California by railroad in 1890. What the out- 

 put will be in a couple of years from now, when the large acreage of young trees 

 that have been set out come into bearing, it is hard to tell. It is sure that it will be 

 something surprising. It is the rapid strides that the fruit industry has made that 

 has been one of the stones that were thrown in the path of the apiarist. In some 

 places the aggressive horticulturist who says that the bees destroy the fruit, has 

 compelled the apiarist to seek pastures new, much to the latter's discomfiture. 

 There is a constant war going on between the two industries ; the fruit-grower 

 somehow or another manages to crowd the bee-keeper to the wall every time. I am 

 of the opinion that after a few years there won't be such a fight between the two 

 occupations. Why, I will not discuss at this time. I will say, however, that I think 

 the apiarist will come out at the larger end of the horn. 



North Temescal, Calif. 

 (Concluded next week.) 



SXROXG COI.OP«JIES-NON-SlSVARMI?«JG. 



If there is one question of more interest than any other it is in keeping strong 

 colonies. If there is a secret in bee-culture it is in manipulating your bees so as to 

 always keep them strong. If they are strong they will stand the winter and spring 

 better, and they will keep down their enemies easier, such as ants, wasps, moths, 

 etc.; and when there is a honey-flow they will gather it. I regard this as an inter- 

 esting question. Who among our bee-keeping friends will give us their experience, 

 or some pointers on this subject ? 



NoN-SwAEMiNG. — I have noticed much of late in the Bee Journal on this 

 question. You can count me as a " non-swarmist," even if I am in the minority. I 

 work my bees on the non-swarming plan simply because it pays the best. With the 

 right kind of bees and hive, and with proper care, you can run them as strong as 

 you like, and they won't loaf, hang out on the hive, or swarm. I think there is as 

 much difference in bees as there is in stock as regards the scrub and best breed. 



Last spring, through the burning of a neighbor's barn, we had the misfortune 

 to have our bees all burnt up. Of course I had to buy more, and some of our friends 

 thought that I exhibited more grit than judgment; but I have sold more honey and 

 wax of this year's crop than my outlay, and I still have the bees, hives, and more 

 than half of the crop to dispose of. But the point I was going to mention is this : 

 I bought four lots of bees — three of which I hauled home, and all that were not In 

 the Langstroth hive I transferred to that hive. I increased them about 20 per 

 cent., and they have gathered honey to exceed 100 pounds to each colony. 



One lot of over 20 are still out where I purchased them, and in every conceiv- 

 able kind of hive, with the combs crossed so that I could not get them into shape to 

 control them. Some of those bees have swarmed themselves to death. Two of 



