March 1, 1900. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



133 



tion, while two others have been a partial success, leavin;,'^ 

 three g^ood years in nine. Therefore, taking the average 

 production during these nine years, I have come to the con- 

 clusion that in a series of years California will make no 

 better showing than some of the Eastern States. There is 

 not much comfort in that for those who wish to come here 

 to embark in the bee-business ; but let us look at the map 

 of California, and make a few comparisons, review a little 

 of the past, look at the present, and deal a little in futures. 



For nearly 800 miles the western side of California is 

 white with the spray of the Pacific Ocean. Measure off 800 

 miles on the Atlantic side of the continent, and it would 

 include all the coast from Maine to Georgia. In area it 

 equals the ten far Eastern States, as shown in the accom- 

 panying cut. Thus far the honey-production in this vast 

 area has been confined to a few favored localities, and there 

 are wide stretches of country where a bee could not live ; 

 but the prospects are bright for these desert places becom- 

 ing our most reliable honey-districts. 



The history of the bee-industry in California is de- 

 cidedly interesting, and shows many markt changes in the 

 area of production ; and those changes so favorably begun 

 will go along with rapid strides. That the seeker for a 

 good honey-location in this State may know just where to 

 look, refer again to the maps. I have divided the State into 

 three parts — Northern, Central and Southern. 



The production of honey in California commenced in 

 the Sacramento Valley, in the northern portion of the State. 



or 



HGW ENGLA 

 NEW YO 

 NEW JERSEY 

 OtlA^'.'ARE 

 OHIO. 



As the resources of the State became more generally known 

 it was found that the southern end was far the best for 

 honey, both in quality and quantity, and in that portion the 

 industry has reacht its greatest development, and the honey 

 produced in the seven southernmost counties will ever hold 

 the reputation gained for quality ; for in no portion of the 

 State is there the amount of various sages that are found 

 here ; and while the valleys have been put under cultiva- 

 tion, and the sages destroyed, the canyons and mountain 

 sides are still its home, and there will always be very good 

 pasturage, for the land can be used for no other purpose. 



It is in this portion of the State where those phenome- 

 nally large yields have been produced ; but we can refer to 

 them only as phenomenal, for they seldom occur twice in 

 the same locality. These phenomenal yields have alwaj's 

 been within the sage-belt, and from that source ; and it is 

 safe to say that, in the production of quantities of pure 

 sage honey, California has seen its best days — but not its 

 best days in the production of honey, mind you. 



Referring to the little map of comparisons, we find that 

 California has a population of a little over a million, while 

 the Eastern States of the same area have 16,000,000. It is a 

 foregone conclusion that the waste-places in California will 

 rapidly fill up with people, bringing changes in the pro- 

 ducts of the soil, and more of a diversity in the honey- 

 resources and in the quality of the honey. 



That the honey-resources of California are changing, 

 and will increase to greater proportions than ever, can be 

 easily demonstrated in Central California. In this portion 

 of the Stfite, where a few years ago the laad was so barren 



that, upon hundreds of .square miles, a bee could not live, 

 there are now thriving farms and thousands of acres of 

 alfalfa. Irrigation has made thi.s great change. This area 

 of alfalfa is now confined in a great measure to locations 

 not at a great distance from the railroads. Outside of this 

 area are thousands of square miles yet to be populated and 

 brought under cultivation, and it is safe to say that alfalfa 

 will be one of the principal crops. 



We never hear of phenomenally large yields of honey 

 in Central California, but they are blest with something 

 better^no total failures. The honey-yield fluctuates more 

 or less, as it does in all locations ; but there is a rea.sonably 

 sure income from the apiary every year ; and the carloads 

 of honey from Central California, which are already numer- 

 ous, will steadily increase. In the eastern portion of the 

 middle of the State we find Owens River Valley, not of 

 great size. It is hemmed in by immense mountains, and 

 here the bee-keeper produces alfalfa honey of the finest 

 quality. Owing to location, or some other cause, the honey 

 is of lighter shade than honey from the same source in 

 other portions of the State. 



The development of the honey-resources in Northern 

 California has not kept up with the development in the 

 south. It is a mountainous country ; and in those portions 

 where honey can be produced, the cost of transportation to 

 market eats too much into the profits to make it a paying 

 business at the present prices of honey. It is safe to say 

 that there is an area in Northern California equal to the 

 area of New York State, where there is not a carload of 

 honey shipt ; and where it is produced it is sold in the lim- 

 ited home market. It costs as much to ship honey from the 

 Oregon line to San Francisco (a little over 300 miles) as it 

 does from San Francisco to New York. There is a future, 

 however, for Northern California honey-production. With 

 more and competing lines of transportation, more settle- 

 ment of waste-places, and more alfalfa, carloads will begin 

 to move out. Many of our prominent bee-keepers, even in 

 Southern California, see in alfalfa the great and permanent 

 honey-plant of the future. 



This great forage-plant is in direct accord with the in- 

 terests of every agricultural community. Alfalfa first, 

 cattle next, then the flowing of milk and honey, typical of 

 the highest prosperity of a State. 



California is justly noted for its immense fruit-indus- 

 try, and much has been said about this source of honey. 

 However, it cuts but a small figure. The time of bloom is 

 of short duration, and the secretion of honey not abundant. 

 The orange-bloom, where the trees are abundant, gives a 

 fair surplus ; but it would not pay for the bee-keeper to de- 

 pend wholly upon that source alone for his living. ■ 



At present the best locations for success in honey-pro- 

 duction in California are found all the way from the Sacra- 

 mento Valley to San Diego ; and the bee-keeper who intends 

 to move to this State should write to the Chamber of Com- 

 merce in San Francisco and IvOs Angeles for literature giv- 

 ing much information about the respective ends of the 

 State. In fact, it would be a good plan for almost anybody 

 who would like to know more of the resources of this great 

 State to send for this literature. 



Then it would be a good plan for the emigrant, when 

 he arrives, to take time to look the ground over. Ride by 

 rail and wheel thru the central portion of the State. The 

 largest alfalfa districts are between Fresno and Bakers- 

 field. Two weeks' time could be profitably spent in looking 

 this field over, and a longer time could be spent in Southern 

 California ; for you can see, by referring to the map, that 

 the great State of Ohio covers only about half of this end 

 of California. 



When a location is selected it is of the utmost impor- 

 tance that the occupant of it make up his mind to like his 

 new home, and laud it to the skies upon any and all occa- 

 sions. That is always the first duty of all true Californians. 



I am sorry to know that some people are always cursing 

 their lot and their surroundings. Well, we want no such 

 people here. Their somber souls would be sadly out of 

 place in this God-given land of health and sunshine ; and 

 wherever a number of such people congregate, there you 

 will find a dead town and a well-filled gravej-ard. 



In thinking over the matter of a change of residence, 

 do not hesitate on account of health or old age, for this is a 

 healthful climate, and, as Dr. Gallup has it, "It is the old 

 man's paradise." 



Taking it all in all, the bee-keeping industry of Cali- 

 fornia has a brilliant future ; and all the present members 

 of the fraternity have to do is to stick to the business and 

 hasten the day of great prosperity. — Gleanings in Bee- 

 Culture. X<os Angeles Co., Calif, crj 



