200 



T'Mm mwMwmie:Mm wmm j@wMf€Mi*. 



^^^*^^^-^^^^^^^ 



which "takes the cake" for being 

 where it is not wanted, and for its 

 villainous taste and smell ! 



The great, and best, and everywhere 

 present in the hills and mountains, 

 summer honey-producing bush, is the 

 native poison-oak {Elms Calif ornicns). 

 It is in bloom in different exposui'es 

 the season through, and its honey is 

 considered equal to that of white 

 clover. 



This short sketch will give some 

 knowledge of the sources of honey 

 here ; some of the mountain honey is 

 very fine, thick, bright and spicy — 

 some being too highly flavored for 

 some people, but greatly liked when 

 one becomes accustomed to it. The 

 difierent portions of the State have 

 their own peculiar honey-plants, and 

 nearly everywhere where there are 

 hills and mountains, one can have suc- 

 cess with bees, even high up on the 

 Sierras, where they are covered with 

 snow from 3 to 30 feet deep for six 

 months. 



As I said in my former article, this 

 region — directly north of San Fran- 

 cisco 20 to 100 miles — was, before bee- 

 diseases were introduced, grand for 

 honey, and many bees were kept, pro- 

 ducing a vast amount of honey with 

 scarcely any care, like all good, new 

 countries ; but these diseases came in. 

 It being a region where nearly every- 

 thing that one may wish to plant can 

 be grown to perfection, with big 

 monej- in everything, the people drop- 

 ped bee-keeping for other things that 

 made big money with little care ; 

 therefore but few bees are found here 

 now, but the bee-countrj' is still here, 

 all the same, and would be a grand 

 success with the same skill and care 

 given 1,0 bees everywhere in the East. 



The best locations are, as I said be- 

 fore, in the cheap lands in the hills 

 and mountains, with a deep canyon 

 running into the hills east or west. 

 Given a warm south and a cool north 

 steep hillside, and a little perennial 

 stream running in it — one has a per- 

 fect bee-pasturage, and one of the 

 most healthy and comfortable climates 

 in the world. Bees of all straius and 

 bee-keepers' supplies of all kinds can 

 be had in this State. There are thou- 

 tands of acres of mountain Govern- 

 ment land in this and adjoining coun- 

 ties Jree to homesteaders, or for pre- 

 emption. It is grand for dairies, pas- 

 ture, fruit, bees, poultry, health and 

 comfort. 



As for cold, when I give the fact that 

 three wagon-loads of oranges have 

 come into this little city of Petaluma 

 the present week, and sold on the 

 streets in bushel apple-boxes — all 

 grown within seven miles of this town 

 — tells one what this country is ! 

 Homes, land — both improved and un- 



improved —of all sizes, and for all pur- 

 poses, can be bought in this county to- 

 day, all things considered, as cheap as 

 anywhere in this great republic ; cer- 

 tainly as cheap, and I think cheaper, 

 than anywhere else in this State ; and 

 this, in this one great, rich county, 

 where big crops of everything can be 

 grown without expensive irrigation. 



I will continue to answer all in- 

 quiries from those who enclose stamps 

 (not directed stamped envelopes — but 

 stamps) ; and I will mail them local 

 newspapers. 



Petaluma, Calif. 



REVERSING. 



Description of a Reversible- 

 Frame Device. 



Written for the American Bee Jour^ial 



BY F. A. HUNTLEY. 



The subject of reversing combs 

 seems to have lost no interest. Manj- 

 have found the practice a success, and 

 others who have been reluctant to 

 make experiments, will, no doubt, take 



It will be readily understood that a 

 complete frame is made, and the sep- 

 arable part is the outside bar with pro- 

 jecting ends, into which the screw- 

 eyes are driven. The openings to re- 

 ceive the eyes are made with a coarse 

 rip-saw, and can be cut into the block 

 or board before sawing out the slats. 

 As the two horizontal bars of a frame 

 are made alike, it takes but a moment 

 to remove the pegs, and make either 

 bar the upper one. 



Where frames larger than the Lang- 

 stroth are in use, I would advise mak- 

 ing the separable bar of wood that is 

 tougher than pine, though I have 

 never found yellow pine too soft. The 

 screws will, in most cases, project 

 through the wood, unless a very thick 

 top-bar is used. When this happens, 

 the points should be cut off by means 

 of a pair of nippers. 



I have also used this device in 

 another form, bj driving the screw 

 into the frame, and making the slot in 

 the separable bar. This, however, 

 does not possess the strength of the 

 other arrangement. 



South Omaha, Neb. 



BEE-ECONOMY. 



The Inmates of the Bee.Hive 

 as " Nationalists." 



Writtai for tlie Americayi Bee Journal 



BY E. L. PRATT. 



Section of Beveraible Frame, with Eye and Key. 



some interest in the matter the coming 

 season. Changes and complications 

 in fixtures should generally be avoided, 

 as experience has often proved to bee- 

 keepers. In experiments, methods 

 are in favor such as will necessitate 

 the least possible alterations in plans 

 already in use. 



The reversible frame here described, 

 has given me satisfaction, and I offer 

 the device gratuitously to all, hoping 

 that it may prove a benefit to those 

 who give it a trial. With very little 

 trouble it can be applied to frames 

 already in use. 



The device consists of a double, 

 separable top-bar, the two pieces be- 

 ing fastened together by means of 

 screw-eyes twisted into the upper slat, 

 and the eye part projecting through a 

 slot in each end of the under slat, 

 which forms a part of the frame, as 

 shown in the engraving. Hardwood 

 pegs are used to put through the eyes, 

 to clamp the two pieces together. 



What a magnificent form of national 

 social government is that of honey- 

 bees. There is no competition, no 

 trusts or monopolies, no partyism, and 

 no wrangling over ill-gotten gains, in 

 a bee-hive. On the contrary, every- 

 thing is for the common good, with 

 equal rights to all. 



It has been said that a queen-bee is 

 a " monarch," and the masses of work- 

 ers, her subjects ; but the study of 

 them and their habits has proveil this 

 untrue. It is the luost perfect demo- 

 cratic form of government known. 

 The queen stands as a most decided 

 public servant. She acts as a sort of 

 "president" — a preserver of the re- 

 public, at the dictation of the people. 



Superseding for waut of corupetency 

 is nothing uncommon with bee-repub- 

 lic. A queen-bee is queen (or "king") 

 because she was called so. when scien- 

 tists knew but very little about the 

 workings of a bee-hive. She would 

 have been better named "president." 



From the egg to the perfect insect, 

 all are cared tor and given sup to a 

 like extent. When the young bee is- 

 sues it has a term of "schooling," and 

 thorough practical training, not iu 

 vogue with any form of government. 

 All are ushered into active service 



