THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 91 



of their holdings — and it usually does. The Sunnyside Project is. 

 probably 20 years old, and from where I Sit I can see probably 

 three or four thousand acres yet in sage brush, all under the ditch. 

 Locally, bee-keepers spring up as fast as the territory opens up, and 

 occupy the territory. 



"Many of the projects are located in famous fruit sections and a. 

 combination is found to be of mutual advantage. The trees furnish 

 an abundance of honey during the blossoming period, etc." To me 

 that last remark requires quite a stretch of imagination, as compared 

 with the truth. 



FRXnT BI.OOM NOT VI£I.DINa. 



During fruit bloom I have failed as yet to see a single trace of 

 even raw nectar in the hives. There is scarcely enough nectar in 

 the fruit bloom to entice the bees. 



Don't bite too readily at making "large returns'' from invest- 

 ments in acreage tracts near the town sites. A sucker is born every 

 minute. The bee-keepers are not averaging over from 40 to 60' 

 pounds per colony in the Yakima Valley. Extracted honey sells at 

 from seven cents to nine cents, and comb at about twelve cents. 



The hay is cut three to four times a season and hardly gets into 

 bloom until it is cut again. This only affords a few days' harvest 

 and compels one to engage almost exclusively in the production of 

 extracted honey. 



It has been reported that there are about 13,000 to 15,000 col- 

 onies located in the Yakima Valley. 



We are producing more honey, together with what is shipped 

 into tli^e state from Utah, Idaho and California, than we can dispose 

 of, and will be compelled to seek outside markets. Better the whole 

 loaf in the eastern market than half a loaf in the west. 



Localities where they are growing alfalfa seed furnish more 

 nectar than the localities where they grow hay simply for hay. 



Yakima Valley raises little or no alfalfa seed. I would call the 

 bee-keeping fraternities' attention to the article written by R. D. 

 Bradshaw, of Payette, Idaho, page 96, February 15 number of 

 Gleanings, in regard to overstocking a territory. 



THINK BEFORE aOING WEST. 



Those of you who have your cosy homes where God waters the 

 land with the rain, where you have good water to drink, plenty of 

 fuel, your friends, think twice before you sacrifice j-our homes to 

 go to a land and a condition you know little about, devoid of the 

 improvements aft'orded by older, settlements, and old established 

 society ; those of you who appreciate even a garden of vegetables, 

 beware of these irrigated districts. 



The railroads have no other object in enticing you west than to 

 convey you out here at so much per head, the same as other mer- 



