684 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 1. 



grow to a great height in order to get much of 

 the sunlight. The same waterfall, over 60 feet 

 in height, wliich Mr. ]loot described some two 

 and a half years ago. still plung<*s down, and is 

 forming fossil leaves, etc., by depositing mincir- 

 al matter from its impregnated waters. There 

 is water running, even in a dry season, to run a 

 dynamo, and Mr. Arundell is studying the me- 



WATKKFALI,, Vul.K CHKKK CANYON. 



chanics of changing his water powi r into 

 electric energy; and we have no doubt his house 

 will be electrically lighted, and the honey- 

 extractor run by the same power, ere long. 

 The steepness of thi^ grades upon Mr. Arun- 

 dell's ranch necessitates much sh' I work in get- 

 ting the various products to the vicinity of the 

 house. The honey-house can be discerned in 

 the upper left side of the photo, and here is 



located the home apiary. In the honey-house, 

 at the time of our visit, there was stored 12 tons 

 of the 1894 crop. This, in proper time, will 

 have to be sledded down the steep grade that 

 ends near the house. Besides the home apiary 

 there are two out-apiaries, located in excellent 

 honey-districts. The bees in the home apiary 

 were working vigorously upon the various 

 plants in the canyon. A peculiar bush, 

 called the coffee-berry, was in profuse 

 bloom, and the bees were reveling upon 

 the blossoms. There was a prospect, 

 however, that the bees would require 

 feeding before the dry season comes to 

 an end. 



Mr. Arundell called our attention to 

 his seven-ton tank; also to a large 

 quantity of jumped wax. All the cap- 

 pings, and odds and ends of comb in 

 the apiaries, are put into a large can, 

 and compressed into the smallest pos- 

 sible space by jumping it down with 

 the feet. It becomes so solid that it is 

 miller- proof. Mr. A. uses a yucca 

 brush; but instead of those little affairs 

 that seem to content some bee-keepers 

 he uses a brush long enough lo brush 

 the whole side of an L. comb with one 

 sweep. Several pieces of yucca are 

 placed between two wooden strips. 

 Wire nails were driven through and 

 clinched, holding the yucca, and a 

 brush of any length can be made. Mr. 

 Wilder makes the same sort of brush, 

 but uses manilla rope instead of yucca. 

 In speaking of these almost inacces- 

 sible mountains, and the desirability of 

 ( siablishing apiaries even further back 

 in them, Mr. A. cited an instance of a 

 donkey apiary; i. e., the only way to 

 get to it was over a donkey-trail. The 

 bee keeper operating it would load six- 

 teen donkeys with the sweet itroduct, 

 and drive them out to civilization. 



Deer are found quite plentifully in 

 the mountains; but, as shown in the 

 half-tone, it is something of a labo- 

 rious task to hunt them. A hunter 

 brought out some fine venison and 

 wanted thirty cents a pound for it. 

 The purchaser demurred. '-The price 

 is too steep," said he. "Steep!" said 

 the hunter, " why. sir, the price is not 

 half as steep as the place where I shot 

 the deer." 

 A hint in relation to deer-hunting was enough 

 to hold Mr. Wilder over another day. An early 

 morning hunt was indulged in; and the result 

 of a long and arduous climb was only a futile 

 shot at long range. The Rambler prefers to 

 hunt rabbits and quail. There is more certain- 

 ty of game, and less steepness to it. 



After several days with our friends we start- 

 ed upon our journey; and it seemed so much 



