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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[March 



To Mr. J. S. Harbison, of the firm of Clark & 

 Harbison, is due the honor of developing the 

 apiary business in California to that prominence 

 which it has attained. When nearly all who had 

 made experiments in importing bees united in say- 

 ing that they would not thrive in California, he 

 differed with them and took measures to further 

 test the matter. 



In the fall of 1855 he sent east and had one 

 hive of bees brought out, which arrived at Sacra- 

 mento on the 1st day of February, 1856. Though 

 most of the bees died or escaped on the passage, 

 enough remained to prove that, with proper care 

 and attention they could be imported with little 

 loss, and that they would increase and make large 

 quantities of honey when brought here in a proper 

 manner. 



The subject occupied the chief portion of Mr. 

 Harbison's attention for nearly two years. At the 

 expiration of that time he determined to go east 

 and personally superintend the shipping of 

 some hives. With this object in view, he left Cali- 

 fornia in May, 1857, and proceeded directly to 

 Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. Here sixty-seven 

 hives were taken from his Lawrence county 

 apiaries, (Mr. Harbison had already engaged in the 

 business in the East), and got in readiness for the 

 long trip to California by way of Panama. At 

 Aspinwall, Mr. Harbison judiciously opened the 

 hives and allowed the bees to fly ; a procedure 

 which benefited them greatly, no doubt contribu- 

 ting to their good health during the remainder of 

 the voyage. Even with all the care and attention 

 bestowed upon them, but few of the hives arrived 

 in good shape. Mr. Harbison proceeded east again 

 the following year — 1858 — and brought out another 

 lot of hives with a little better success. 



These two importations, together with a third in 

 1859, were sufficient, however, to start the business 

 and demonstrate its profits. Others ventured to 

 engaged in it, and soon apiaries became numerous 

 throughout the state. Over 5,000 hives were im- 

 ported during 1859-60, by different persons. Mr. 

 Harbison kept the lead, however, and earned the 

 distinction at that early day, of being the most 

 enterprising and best informed apiarist in the state. 



As soon as it became apparent that honey making 

 would pay, those interested in the business began 

 to cast around to obtain the best kind of bees. 

 Mr. Harbison was foremost here again. In 1865 

 he went east, and on his return brought with 

 him selections of Italian bees, made from the most 

 noted apiaries in the eastern states, and also seven- 

 teen of the choicest queens he could find. The 

 hives of Harbison are now composed entirely of 

 the very best honey making bees. 



Mr. Harbison is engaged in transferring as 

 rapidly as possible, his entire stock of bees to this 

 county, recognizing the advantages it possesses for 

 the apiary business. The firm has now established 

 in this county four apiaries, with 1,180 hives. All 

 the bees are of the highest and most improved 

 breeds, and the honey produced by them is whiter 

 and purer than any produced eleswhere in the 

 state. For three successive years a first premium 

 has been awarded to Clark and Harbison for their 

 San Diego honey, by the State Agricultural Associa- 

 tion. Notwithstanding the fact that nearly sixty 



specimens were exhibited at the last State Fair, 

 the judges, in making their award, said that they 

 experienced no difficulty in deciding, as that from 

 San Diego was unquestionably superior in every 

 respect to all the other honey exhibited. The 

 specimen that took the last prize has been sent to 

 the International Exhibition at Vienna, and will 

 unquestionably receive a premium there. 



The quantity of honey exported from San Diego 

 last year was 27,600 pounds. The export this year 

 will probable be twenty per cent, in excess of last 

 year, and it is confidently expected that the quan- 

 tity for shipment next year will fall very little 

 short of 100,000 pounds. These expectations are 

 of couse based on the probability of our having a 

 wet season. In any event, wet or dry, the ship- 

 ment will not be much less than 60,000 pounds in 

 1873. 



Although Clark & Harbison are by far the lead- 

 ing apiarists in this county, they do not monopolize 

 the business by any means. It is a noticeable fact 

 that during the past year this firm sold nearly 

 three hundred stands of bees to farmers in every 

 part of the county. Nearly every ranch in San 

 Diego is now an apiary on a small scale ; the sur- 

 plus honey which will be produced by these many 

 hives of bees scattered all over the county, will 

 add greatly to the quantity for exportation next 

 year. From present indications it is safe to pre- 

 dict that the superior advantages enjoyed by this 

 county will, in the course of two years, entitle it 

 to the rank of the largest producer of honey in the 

 state — it has already made its reputation so far as 

 quality is concerned. 



Honey as Medicine, 



The Herald of Health, in reply to the question, 

 "is honey wholesome?" says, "yes, used in mod- 

 eration, it is. Very old honey, however, should be 

 eschewed. A German teacher has lately written 

 a work on the subject of honey and its healing 

 properties. While he may over-estimate its value, 

 what he says is interesting. We quote : 'A strong 

 influence for publishing this book was the fact that 

 I, a sufferer from hemorrhages, already given up 

 to despair, and at the verge of the grave, was saved 

 by the wonderful curative powers of honey ; and 

 now, thank God, I am freed, not only from weak- 

 ness of my lungs, but rejoice in the possession of 

 perfect health. 



'At my first attack, upwards of thirty years 

 ago, powders and tea were ordered for me, which 

 benefited me but little. I then placed but little 

 confidence in honey, which I had used occasionally, 

 and in small quantities. Judging from my present 

 knowledge, I believe that the honey was the only 

 remedy that was doing me any good, and it is this 

 that I have to thank for the gradual, the sure resto- 

 ration of my health. 



'As my disease increased I began to use cod 

 liver oil, which weakened and injured my stomach 

 so that I could hardly digest anything more, and 

 my condition became worse and worse. Again I 

 returned to honey, when my suffering immediately 

 began to decrease and disappear. Besides the use 

 of honey, I took pains to preserve my breast and 

 lungs from injury, which, in my trying situation as 



