150 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



For tlie American Bee Journal. 



Best Bee Location, &c. 



Seeing inquiries in the June No. by 

 Mr. II. B. Kolfe, about California as a 

 location for an apiary, I would say, that 

 being desirous of locating an apiary I 

 have, myself, been on the lookout for a 

 place for some time past, and I investi- 

 gated California among the rest, and I 

 have come to the conclusion that Southern 

 California is probably the greatest honey 

 producing country, of, equal area, in the 

 world. I am further satisfied that its 

 distance from good markets and liabili- 

 ties to the disease known as "foul brood," 

 as well as from ravages from the moth, 

 may reduce the high estimate some peo- 

 ple have of it. Agaiu, there is just now 

 a rush among the Eastern bee-keepers to 

 Southern California; so much so that 

 Mr. Harbison told me, — on his recent 

 visit to the East, when he marketed his 

 gigantic crop, — that where a few years 

 ago he had no competitors near him, 

 they are now so plentiful that he can 

 hardly find a place to locate any new 

 apiaries. His custom being to keep say 

 from one to two hundi'ed colouies in a 

 place, and as fast as they increase, locate 

 new ones. 



Now in regard to the questions asked 

 by Mr. Rolfe, I will not presume to speak 

 ex cathedra as I have never been to Cali- 

 fornia, but having looked up the same 

 sebject-m after myself, I will give Mr. 

 K. the benefit of my inquiries on the 

 subject and in the order of asking. 



1st. So, California is the best place 

 for box honey. 2d. Yes. 3d. Ten dol- 

 lars per colony, (gold), but not in Lang- 

 stroth hives, as most hives are made after 

 Mr. Harbison'^, which approaches the 

 American in shape. 4th. Five to 

 twenty-five dollars per colony, (this de- 

 pends). 5th. No. It would probably 

 be very difficult, now, to fintl a good loca- 

 tion not already taken up. (ith. About 

 four to five cents per pound is required 

 jn packing. Mr. Harbison had his own 

 men load and handle his honey. 7tli. 

 Cannot say. Probably San Francisco. 

 Write to California Emigration Associ- 

 ation, San Francisco, for information, &c. 



In regard to the quality of California 

 honey it seems to be the opinion of every 

 person who has tasted it, with whom I 

 have talked, that it cannot compare with 

 our white clover, e.xcfpt in looks, "Nov- 

 ice" to the contrary notwithstanding. 

 But its looks sell it. Again, I am of the 

 opinion that the present season will see a 

 drop in the honey market as there prob 

 ably will be sii^pped from California 



three quarters of a million pounds, and 

 this with glucose so cheap, will materially 

 reduce the profits of bee-keeping for 

 Eastern apiaries. Look out for it, 

 brother bee-keepers ! 



Bro. IMoore, of Binghamton, N. Y., 

 seems to think that I argue (in regard to 

 shape of frames) a good deal from theory. 

 Perhaps so, but my theory is based upon 

 well-known laws of heat which operates 

 in a hive of bees the same as anywhere 

 else, and all my queens lay their eggs in 

 a circular brood chamber, and I think 

 any other ciueen will when not cramped 

 by an oblong, horizontal frame. But it 

 seems a pity that a young be-keeper, at 

 least, cannot agreee upon some one stand- 

 ard size, at least for the top box, and then 

 let any one have the frame as deep or as 

 shallow as they please. 



Mr. Dadant says they have adopted 

 this plan in Italy. 



Hurrah ! I now propose to all young 

 bee-keepers, about starting an apiary, a 

 uniform length of top box, and suggest 

 15 inches. This is a concession on my 

 part for my frames are 12ixl3. Who 

 doit? 



Chicago, 111. R. J. CoLBURN. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



On The Field Again. 



Time has wrought a good many changes 

 since I last wrote you. My attention has 

 been turned a good deal, to other things 

 for the last two or three years. So that 

 I have not taken the interest in my bees 

 that 1 should have done. But now I am 

 thoroughly settled in my pet business 

 on the "far oil'" Pacific coast, and from 

 this "land of honey," as well as "laud of 

 gold," I propose shaking hands agaiu 

 with my brethren, through the columns 

 of our beloved Ameiucan Bee Joi'RNAli. 



The glowing descriptions of this coast 

 as a honey-producing country, induced 

 me to leave home and friends in the 

 beautiful iMississippi Valley and seek a 

 home in the n)ountaius of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. 



There is so much in this country of 

 interest to bce-koepei's tiiat I hardly 

 know where to begin. I will, however, 

 begin at the beginning and tell something 

 of the history of bees in this State. 



The first bees brought to California 

 wasinjMarch, 1853, by Mr. Shelton, wlio 

 bought twelve hives at Aspinwall. These 

 dwindled down to one before swarming 

 season. This one threw oft" three 

 swarms, two of these were sold in the 

 fall, one at $105, the other at $11(1. The 

 next lot were imported in 1S55. But 



