136 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



pine forests. There was wild buckwheat to 

 be seen in the canyon, from tlie time we 

 entered, eight miles below Forest Home, a^ 

 well as wild clematis, which was abundant, 

 and alive with bees. These two comprised 

 the chief flora of the region around Forest 

 Hiome and for some tkree miles up the can- 

 yon above this point. But here we began to 

 iind traces of white sage. Though it was 

 nearly out, there were bees busy trying to 

 yather what nectar it contained. I might 

 add here that there was no great amount of 

 white sage anywhere in tliis canyon, nor on 

 the mountain-sides adjoining. After travel- 

 ing up the canyon three miles we began the 

 ascent "^f the steep trail toward the summit, 

 traveling slowly and making careful study 

 of all honey-bearing plants. We saw white 

 sage and wild buckwheat up to an elevation 

 of nearly 7000 feet, but no higher. The 

 entire mountain side was covered with wild 

 lilac, mountain mesquite, and amanzanita, 

 but the blooming period of all these had 

 passed at the highest elevation we reached 

 on this day's travel, about 7500 feet. Tlio 



A giant sugar pine. No lumber grows that is 

 lietter suited for liives. The clear lumber in this 

 tree would retail in Redlands for $150 per thou- 

 sand. Photographed by P. C. Chadwick. 



P. C. Chadwick watching a bee working on the 

 cow cabbage at an elevation of 9000 ft. The bare 

 peak in the distance is a part of the summit of the 

 San Bernardino Range. 



abundance of bee life found was a great 

 surprise to me, for every flower of which 

 there were a few of many varieties con- 

 tained bees. At 7500 feet I found them 

 watering, and coursed them on up the can- 

 yon among the giant pines, firs, and red- 

 wood. It is not generally known that there 

 are redwood trees in these mountains; but 

 we found one that was almost 15 feet 

 through at this great elevation. 



The day was more than half gone, so we 

 returned to camjD satisfied with what we had 

 accomplished. 



We had found no lack of bee life to the 

 limit of altitude reached; had found to 

 about what level the wliite sage and wild 

 buckwheat could be found; secured some 

 fine ])ictures, had photographed a field of 

 buckwheat on the side of this mountain, 

 that contained more than 40 acres, as well 

 as being able to find one bee-tree and many 

 sources that we did not take the time to 

 follow up. 



The following day we were up and off 

 early, for we had decided to go to the limit 



