AUGUST 1, 1912 



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Wesley Foster, Boulder, Colo. 



Just to show the variations and the dif- 

 ferent kinds of climate in the one State oi 

 Colorado, and the difficulty of getting an 

 early crop report, consider that comb-hon- 

 ey supers have been put on hives and filled 

 during October. Tliis is done frequently 

 in Montezuma Co. I have seen supers filled 

 in May at Boulder. There is a variation of 

 six months for the one State. Supers are 

 not often taken off until August in Monte- 

 zuma Co., arid more came off in September 

 "than in August. 



* * 9^ 



The premium list for the Kansas State 

 fair is out, and includes $200 in premiums 

 for bees and honey. The premiums for 

 honey-producing plants is the only class 

 that is limited to Kansas exhibitors. Mr. 

 J. P. Lucas, of Topeka, is superintendent 

 of the bee and honey department, and is 

 making an effort to have a good showing. 

 If you are interested, write to Mr. Lucas 

 and he will see that you get a premium 

 list ; and if you care to exhibit he will glad- 

 ly welcome you. 



* * « 



THE SEASON SO FAR. 



Frequent rains and abundant supplies 

 of water for irrigation have made a fine 

 showing on the alfalfa and sweet clover. 

 The first cutting of alfalfa has made as 

 high as three tons to the acre in the best 

 fields. Rush of farm work has delayed 

 many in cutting alfalfa, and the bees have 

 had a chance. Sweet clover is now in 

 bloom; and with a continuance of the show- 

 ers we shall get honey between the bloom- 

 ing of the first and second growth of the 

 alfalfa. Every wild flower yields honey 

 this year; and the way the bees were 

 swarming the first of July would lead one 

 to remark that swarming sometimes is a 

 problem in Colorado. Horsemint always 

 yields abundantly when rains are copious, 

 and the bees give their whereabouts away 

 when working on the horsemint by coming- 

 in with the silver-colored i^ollen dusted over 

 their backs. Colorado should make a good 

 start at retrieving her winter losses this 

 season, and we hope that a honey crop will 

 be also forthcoming. To-day, July 7, the 

 bees are entering the supers in a generous 

 way, and a few finished sections have been 

 taken off. 



The Grand Junction fruitmen are adopt- 

 ing the layer pack, and have opened schools 

 to teach the packers how to pack their 

 fruit. This shows the trend of the grad- 



ing problem. The apples will be counted, 

 and the number stamped on the outside of 

 the box. The Northwest is now grading 

 apples for color, size, and shape; and the 

 adoption of this new method bj^ the Colo- 

 rado fruitmen will mean practically the 

 same thing. Here is a clipping from one of 

 the dailies. The Denver Post, regarding the 

 new move. 



GROWERS ADOPT LAYER APPLE PACK ; EACH BOX TO 



CONTAIN A CERTAIN NUMBER MARKED 



ON THE OUTSIDE. 



The layer pack for apples has been adopted by the 

 Grand Junction Fruit-growers' Association, and 

 schools of instruction are being held at different 

 points of Grand Valley, where the growers are 

 shown the advantages. 



By means of this new pack it is expected practi- 

 cally to revolutionize the fruit industry in this State. 

 The chief advantage ia the new standard, which 

 will eventually be adopted all over the State, is the 

 fact that the apples are layered and counted. • Each 

 box will contain a certain number of apples, which 

 will be marked plainly on the outside. The pur- 

 chaser, therefore, will be able, whether he is dealer 

 or consumer, to ascertain just what he is buying 

 when securing a box of Grand Valley apples. 



Demonstrations of the new pack are being given 

 daily by the inspectors of the association. The 

 young women who do most of the packing will be 

 given exact instruction as to how each apple must be 

 placed in the box. 



* * * 



BEE-INSPECTION 



Dr. Phillips says that it looked to him as 

 though the two bee-inspection laws of Col- 

 orado were both in force. This was my 

 opinion at first; but the intention of the 

 legislature was doubtless to repeal the old 

 law, and I think it is repealed by the new 

 one. This does not hinder the county com- 

 missioners from paying the salary of a 

 deputy county inspector, but takes the ap- 

 pointment out of the hands of the county 

 judge. The beemen can reach the commis- 

 sioner easier than the judge, and the com- 

 missioners feel better to have the say as to 

 whom they will pay for doing the inspec- 

 tion. If the beemen take interest enough 

 they can and do tell the commissioners 

 whom they want for county deputy in- 

 spector, and the office of State entomologist 

 has been able to co-operate with the selec- 

 tions made by the beemen and commission- 

 ers, and has commissioned them as deputies 

 of the State entomologist, to whom they 

 report, and under whose general direction 

 they work. We want some changes in the 

 law, but are getting some results as it is. 



From reports already received, the per- 

 centage of foul brood has been materially 

 reduced over last year's percentage in the 

 counties of Mesa, Delta, Montrose, and 

 Fremont. Other counties are to be heard 

 from, and it is hoped that the reports will 

 be equally good. 



