232 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



as I did with the few, and to realize 

 the best results, it requires active, 

 skilled assistance. It is necessary to 

 have knowledg^e of the requisites of a 

 good bee range in each locality. In 

 my section, I desire, in spring, the 

 willow, cotton wood, alfilaria, an 

 abundance of wild flowers, to build the 

 colonies. The wild alfalfa, black and 

 purple sages (the white sage is not 

 to be depended upon) and wild buck- 

 wheat and other fall flowers to keep up 

 brood rearing, to have plenty of young 

 bees for the winter. There are good 

 ranges here with only part of the 

 above forage, but conditions are also 

 different. Good water is a necessity; 

 and where water is scarce, then large 

 rain water tanks are a necessity, and 

 good, painted roofs and plenty of rain 

 fall to till them; calculating, from two 

 to four barrels of water per da}' in the 

 heat of the season. 



Out-apiaries should be concentrated 

 as much as possible, but avoid over- 

 lapping the flight of the bees. If pos- 

 sible all out apiaries should verge to 

 the center, or the home apiarj', but this 

 cannot be always accomplished. 



A line of apiaries could be located 

 closer when in a circle, providing one 

 had control of each side-territory for 

 three or four miles, but it is much bet- 

 ter not to overlap, and thus shorten the 

 flight of the bees. This is important. 

 Locating apiaries only one-half to a 

 mile apart, lessens production. 



My apiaries are mainly located on 

 the north side of the mountains. Two 

 of them have the advantage of both the 

 north and south sides; the south side 

 commencing to bloom first, the north 

 side holding out longer, as the 

 moisture is retained longer hy means 

 of the shade of the mountains. These 

 apiaries are located down low and 

 it's easy for the bees to sail down with 

 their loads to the hives. 



Two hundred colonies, spring count, 

 give the best results, for an apiary. 

 Not any apiary with 500 to 700, spring 



count, can give as good results; the 

 bees have to fly too far; and the con- 

 fusion of flight, and of swarms, are 

 great and unprofitable compared to the 

 limited spring count. 



The home-apiary should contain all 

 necessary appliances for general work; 

 the best of tools, a commodious ware- 

 house, a shop, extracting house, a com- 

 modious fumigating house, so as to 

 prevent all spare combs from being 

 destroyed by moth; and all of the above 

 buildings should be positively mouse, 

 rat, bee and moth proof. Avoid bear- 

 ings for mice and rats to reach, and 

 thej' will not gnaw through underneath 

 your floors. Screened windows and 

 doors are a convenience; then keep 

 them closed. Floors of bu i Id ings should 

 be elevated to let in the light and wind. 



Gophers will fill in with soil under 

 low floors, and wood rats will fill up 

 with rubbish, and gnaw through. 



These wood rats are the worst pests 

 to contend with. They are destructive 

 to hives and frames; and will carr}' off 

 everything they can move, even to the 

 worst filth. They carr_v oft' frame- 

 stuff, knives and forks, spoons, nails, 

 etc., and surround their nests as a 

 protection. Having a keg of nails, I 

 wished to use some, but the keg was 

 minus the nails. I found the nails in 

 the nest rusted together. 



Each apiary, if large, should con- 

 tain a complete extracting outfit. 



I have just completed an extracting 

 outfit on wheels. It is complete as can 

 be made, I shall use this in the bean 

 field and in the hills with small apia- 

 ries; still, m3' apiaries are not very 

 small. Nearly all of my apiaries have 

 complete extracting outfits. With this 

 extracting wagon, I can drive up to 

 each apiary and go right to work with 

 out loss of time and when through 

 drive to another. 



The advantage of a complete outfit 

 for each apiary, is, that should a 

 heavy flow come at any time, it is pos- 

 sible to keep going at the same time. 



