CHAPTEE II. 



INTRODUCTION OF THE HONEY BEE TO 

 CALIFORNIA. 



THE introduction of the HONEY BEE into Califor- 

 nia was an important event, and engrossed a large 

 share of public attention ; wherefore it is peculiarly 

 appropriate to preserve as full a record of the trans- 

 action as possible. 



The following letter from one of the earliest and 

 most successful apiarists of this State, contains an 

 authentic account of the introduction of the first 

 bees into California, as well as the success attending 

 their first five years' cultivation in San Jose* Valley. 



SAN JOSE, Jan. llth, 1860. 

 Mr. J. S. HARBISON, 



Dear Sir : Yours of the 26th December, propounding cer- 

 tain inquiries, has been received. 



The first bees imported into California was in March, 1853. 

 Mr. S belt on purchased a lot consisting of twelve swarms, of 

 some person to me unknown, at Aspinwall. The party who 

 left New York became disgusted with the experiment, and 

 returned. All of the hives contained bees when landed in" San 

 Francisco, but finally dwindled down to one. They were 

 brought to San Jose and threw off three swarms the first sea- 

 son. Mr. Shelton was killed soon after his arrival, by the 

 explosion of the ill-fated steamer Jenny Lind. In December, 



