1897 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



157 



for an acre of alfalfa. The purchase of an Inch 

 of water entitles the owner to the use of that 

 amount any time when the water is "on "in 

 the canal, unless there be a general shortage; 

 then he can get only his pro rata. In times of 

 shortage the matter is arranged by allowing 

 the water to run in a canal only part of the 

 time, and allowed to accumulate or go into 

 another canal the rest of the time. This ar- 

 rangement gives each man his full flow when 

 the water is "on." 



In order to "flood " a piece of land perfectly 

 it is self-evident that it must be nearly or quite 

 level one way at least, and free from all in- 

 equalities of surface; otherwise, where water 

 is left to seek its level, and soak in, some places 

 would get too much and others not enough. 

 So the would-be alfalfa grower must therefore 

 smooth his land and see that the slope is uni- 

 form one way only, and that there be no in- 

 equalities in the surface. All this is done by 

 the use of a tool called a leveler, drawn by two 

 horses, and then the field is divided into lands 

 about two rods wide, having a slight ridge at 

 each side called the "borders," which are 

 thrown up by a V-shaped tool drawn by a team 

 along the line, and are to confine the water to 

 the land. The dirt must be moved for some 

 distance, for the "border," otherwise a trench 

 would be on each side, which would draw all 

 the water. The accompanying diagram may 

 make the "ditch," "lateral, and "border," 

 plainer. 



^f 



irT^Wr^WftWoT^- 



Water is usually turned on once after each 

 cutting of alfalfa; and, if well done, is sufficient 

 for that crop. The whole field is not watered 

 at once, but only so much as the head of water 

 will cover, and then other lands are taken in 

 succession. The opening from the ditch into 

 each land is called a tappoon, and may be a 

 wooden box with a tight-fitting slide, or only a 

 piece of the bank removed, to be again filled 

 when no longer needed. 



The alfalfa-fields in this part of Arizona are 

 fully stocked with bees, and in some neighbor- 

 hoods overstocked. The crop last year shipped 

 through the Bee-keepers' Association at Phoe- 

 nix amounted to somewhere about 13 carloads, 

 of which your humble servant had the good 



fortune to furnish over three carloads, or 70,000 

 pounds. 



If any one desires to locate in this country 

 there are plenty of chances to buy bees with 

 the location, which would be the only way 

 advisable. 



Pasadena, Cal. 



NOTES ON GLEANINGS FOR JANUARY 15. 



OVER 400 CA.KS OF HONEY FROM A SINGLE 

 STATE. 



Bij W. A.H. OUstrap. 



In Straws I see Wisconsin reported with 

 1,800,000 lbs. of honey, or 75 carloads, at 12 tons 

 to the car. Yes, Mr. Editor, John H. Martin 

 put the California crop of 1895 at over 400 cars 

 — about 435, 1 think. Last year I doubt wheth- 

 er we produced 50 carloads. But if any other 

 State can knock our average out. let's have a 

 show of hands. I think we are likely to put 

 up some large figures in extracted honey this 

 year. 



LIGHT-WEIGHT SECTIONS. 



Go for the editor, Dr. Miller. In this country 

 merchants usually call a 4}^x4:^xlK section a 

 pound, and I believe consumers generally be- 

 lieve them. He, therefore, cheats the consum- 

 er, and I more than half believe the producer 

 who sells the honey by avoirdupois weight— 1& 

 oz. to the pound— is o. 2->f"'il/ to the crime. An 

 old peddler by me talks in favor of light weight, 

 as he says it means " more money for less hon- 

 ey." That's " business." 



GRADING. 



I never heard of a half-crop of honey in this 

 valley, that was actuaUy water-white or that 

 had sections actually unsoiled by bees. I hope 

 grading-rules will not be among the impossi- 

 bilities next season. 



DEFUNCT BEE-JOUENALS. 



Tell Dr. Miller to add to his list TJie Western 

 Apiarian, published at Placerville, Cal., 1889- 

 '90, and The California Bee-keeper (San Fran- 

 cisco, I think), soon after the Apiarian died. 

 It lived but a short time. Mr. Israel once 

 wrote to Gleanings that California bee-papers 

 thrived until he wrote for them, and in a short 

 time they died. I think his latest nom de 

 plume is Skylark. 



ALFALFA FOR HONEY. 



Once Mr. Ball, of Nevada, gave an estimate 

 on the amount of honey obtainable from a stat- 

 ed amount of alfalfa, and I thought he was 

 imposing on the editor of Gleanings with 

 something too big to be true. Since that I have 

 learned alfalfa is very cranky as a honey-pro- 

 ducer, and I can believe almost any thing. Mr. 

 Aikin mentions some alfalfa traits which he 

 would not find here. Alfalfa usually produces 

 more honey here in rather dry localities. Where 

 enough water is found to make the plant very 



