189C. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



155 



I From Aniericiin Hee Journal.! 



SOME BEE-NOTES FROM OALirOR- 

 NIA. 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK. 



Thk BeivKeei'Ees' Exchange. — 

 It is foi'tuuate for the Califoi-nia Bee- 

 Keepers' Exchange that the present 

 season is so unpromising for a honey 

 crop. As yet, we have received only 

 about nine inches of rain, while, ac- 

 cording to all reports, 15 inches is 

 necessary for a good honey crop. 

 True, we may get more, but bee-keep- 

 ers or ranchmen do not expect much 

 rain after this date. Thus, it looks 

 very much at present as though the 

 honey product of Southern California, 

 the present season, would be like that 

 of two years ago — nothing. Yet I do 

 not believe the bee-keepers will be 

 discouraged, or will give up the new 

 organization. Those in the regions of 

 orchards and alfalfa fields will doubt- 

 less get something of a crop ; and 

 others have already reaped advantage 

 in the lower prices which they have 

 had to pay for supplies. I very much 

 mistake the temper and spirit of our 

 bee-keepers if they let the discourag- 

 ing prospect discourage them. We 

 will hang to The Bee-Keepers' Ex- 

 change, and be ready with the next 

 harvest to secure a price that shall 

 pay us for our labor in securing the 

 crop. 



I quite agree with a recent writer in " 

 Gleanings, that every State in the 

 country ought to follow the example 

 of California, then we should have 

 full control of the honey, and could 

 demand remunerative prices. I be- 

 lieve this is a matter that should be 

 taken up in all the associations. State 

 and National, and we should not "cry 



quits" until the whole country was 

 organized. This consummation will 

 surely be realized in the not very dis- 

 tant future ; whether we shall reap 

 the advantages depends upon whether 

 we are ready to act with energy and 

 effect. 



Foul Brood. — The subject of foul 

 brood is a very practical one in many 

 of our bee keeping regions. I know a 

 bee keeper not very far from Clare- 

 mont in whose apiary a year ago 

 there were five or six colonies diseased 

 with foul brood. At my suggestion, 

 that those colonies should be treated, 

 and certainly better be desti'oyed than 

 to be left to spread the disease, he re- 

 marked that he thought his bees had 

 had it before, and they got well. He 

 now reports very sadly that every col- 

 ony in his apiary has the disease. He 

 feels very badly, and has double 

 reason for his condition. 



It seems to me that every bee keep- 

 er in the country should be thorough- 

 ly informed regarding this malady, 

 and that we should have such laws 

 and inspection as would protect bee 

 keepers against this evil. Ontario, 

 Canada, has given us a very wise ex- 

 ample in this direction. 



Buckthorn as a Honey Plant. — 

 One of the most common group of 

 plants in California is the buckthorn. 

 There are many species of these 

 shrubs, and all are very prolific of 

 flowers. One, the California lilac, re- 

 rembles quite closely the lilac of the 

 East, and is very beautiful. Most of 

 them, however, are white, and as we 

 go through the brush-wood, we are 

 constantly running upon these plants. 

 I am happy to say that they are very 



