272 



GLEANINGS IN BKK ( ri/riRF. 



May 1 



H. N. SIMMONS' APIARY IN THE YUMA VALLEY, ARIZONA. 



til I can devote more time to my bees, when 

 I may possibly adopt a more modern hive 

 and cellar wintering. 

 Darien Center, N. Y. 



BEE-KEEPING IN THE IRRIGATED LANDS 

 OF THE WEST. 



How Good Bee Locations are Opening up to the 

 Prospective Bee-keeper. 



BY C. J. BLANCHARD, 



Statistician of the Reclamation Service at Waslnnu- 

 ton, D. C. 



Among the numerous specialized indus- 

 tries which are taking root, and which prom- 

 ise a large measure of success on many of 

 the irrigation projects of the Reclamation 

 Service, is the production of honey. 



During a recent trip covering nearly all 

 of the reclamation projects, the writer made 

 an investigation of this industry. On a 

 large number of the projects the apiaries 

 were only just being established. Those 

 which had been in operation a year or more, 

 almost without exception, rejwrted an abun- 

 dance of food for bees, favorable climatic 

 conditions, and a very fine grade of honey 

 for which there was a good demand. The 

 white-sage honey was an especial favorite 

 on the coast. 



As the cultivated acreage increases on the 

 projects, adding large areas of alfalfa and 



clover, orchards, and small fruits, the food 

 supply will take care of more bees. Devel- 

 opment of agriculture of course promotes 

 the growth of towns and villages, and cre- 

 ates a home market. In most sections the 

 supply has not kept up with the demand. 

 By cooperation among apiarists to produce 

 best grades and to create new markets 

 through intelligent advertising, bee culture 

 will doubtless become one of the most 

 profitable industries in the desert country. 

 As every thing in the arid country is tend- 

 ing toward specialization, the bee-men must 

 get together on a plan similar to that now 

 in operation among the fruit-growers, es- 

 tablish high standards, and by rigid regula- 

 tion insure the marketing under special 

 label of only first-class honey. 



There is a wide field for the bee-man in 

 the West, and nearly all of the projects of 

 the (Government offer opportunities which 

 are worthy of consideration. 



Washington, D. C. 



UNCAPPING FOR A POWER-DRIVEN OUTFIT 



BY O. B. METCALFE. 



With the old uncapping-knife, heated in 

 boiling water, it took two good men to un- 

 cap for a fast man at an eight-frame power- 

 driven automatic extractor; and if the hon- 

 ey were all capped clear to the bottom, and 

 not very thick, they could not always keep 



