792 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 15. 



water, and are used for drawing water for do- 

 mestic use, for irrigating fruit-trees— the whole 

 tankful being put around one tree. The 

 drenching supplies the needs of the tree for a 

 long time. Mr. Mendleson uses one of these 

 tanks, with his big team ahead of it, to draw 

 water to his apiaries. The one recently illus- 

 trated among the eucalyptus-trees has a loca- 

 tion several miles from water. Ventura Co. 

 has a fine system of road-sprinkling, and that 

 is where these tanks come in to bless the travel- 

 er, and no less the beast that aids him. Water- 

 pipes run out 15 miles from town, and the water 

 is taken from large stationary tanks located at 

 proper distances, and the otherwise intolerable 

 dust (so common in California) is subdued. 

 Bro. Wilder and 1 were pleased with al 1 we 



fruit-ranches, the trees loaded with fruit, and 

 the environments of the dwellings blooming 

 with flowers. We pass Carpenterea and Sum- 

 merland, the latter town founded and support- 

 ed by spiritualists. The location has a fine 

 outlook upon the ocean, and a barren rear look 

 upon the dry hills; and a conspicuous feature 

 was the number of cottages for sale. Altogeth- 

 er, Summerland is better to read about than it 

 is to witness. It is one of those towns that 

 look well on paper; but a square look in the 

 face of it dispels many of the anticipated pleas- 

 ant features. We camped not far beyond Sum- 

 merland, and the foliage of an old neglected 

 olive-orchard protected us. The bees were 

 merrily humming upon the trees in the early 

 morning. It would seem that this would be a 



FLOWER FESTIVAL, SANTA BARBARA, CAL. 



saw in Ventura Co. The people are wide- 

 awake and progressive, and none are more so 

 than the bee-keepers. Ventura Co. bee-men 

 are the most staunch supporters of our con- 

 ventions, and, other counties doing as well, 

 there would be more accomplished for the ben- 

 efit of the fraternity at large. Several of the 

 prominent bee-keepers were out to their api- 

 aries — Mr. Wilkin, and the Rapp Bros. It 

 would have been a pleasure to the Rambler to 

 meet them again, and to test their sea- going 

 qualities. 



Our pleasures and adventures in Ventura, 

 however, came to an end, and on June 2.5th we 

 attached our ponies to the outfit, and, bidding 

 good -by to our good friends, went on toward 

 Santa Barbara through the beautiful Casitas 

 (kah-se-tas) Pass. We enjoyed an ideal day 

 and a delightful road, shaded with oak and 

 sycamore, every little valley occupied with 



good bee-country: but it seems that there are 

 but few domestic bees in this vicinity. 



We spent a few hours during the day upon 

 the streets of Santa Barbara; viewed the peo- 

 ple, the Old Mission, and the elegant flower- 

 bedecked and behidden private residences, 

 giving hints of wealth and ease. Santa Bar- 

 bara is not much of a center for honey interests; 

 but it is a center for the beautiful flowers, 

 amongst whose petals the bee loves to revel. 

 Annually Santa Barbara convenes for several 

 days of pleasure in a flower festival. Flowered 

 arches spring across the street; flowers bedeck 

 man, beast, and vehicle; the scent of fragrant 

 flowers is in the air, and all business is dropped 

 for the pleasures of the day. The great festi- 

 val had transpired many weeks previous to our 

 visit; but to know that Santa Barbara is a 

 devotee of the flower, as well as the busy bee, 

 is a pleasure to the Rambler. 



