GLEANINGS IN BEE OtJLTURii 



CROP PROSPECTS IN UTAH AND IDAHO 



BY F. W. REDFIELD 



Although the spring was unfavorable, 

 especially in Utah, prospects for a full crop, 

 both in Utah and Idaho, are excellent at this 

 writing. The cool damp spring, coupled 

 with the alfalfa weevil throughout most of 

 Utah, necessitated considerable feeding, to 

 keep the bees from starving. The alfalfa 

 weevil, however, is still confined mostly to 

 Utah, there being very little in Idaho. Sweet 

 clover is abundant at this writing, and blos- 

 soming nicely. The crop depends entirely 

 on how long the frost holds off this season. 

 No comb honey has been completed to date, 

 but the bees started in the comb-honey su- 

 pers nicely during the past week. They are 

 storing considerable honey in extracting- 

 supers. Extracting at Idaho Falls will be- 

 gin July 20 to 25, and in most parts of 

 Utah about July 25. If frost holds off until 



the last of August the yield both of comb 

 and extracted will be much gi-eater than last 

 year. Weather is warm at present, and 

 conditions indicate an average of about 75 

 lbs. comb honey per colony, spring count, 

 or 150 of extracted honey. Early frost 

 would cut down this average, while a late 

 frost would increase the average. At this 

 writing weather conditions and condition of 

 the bloom were never better, except in parts 

 of Utah where the alfalfa weevil is at its 

 worst. Even in such parts the weevil has 

 now changed to the beetle, and that, of 

 course, will not injure the bloom in the least 

 from now on, both alfalfa and sweet clover 

 yielding honey heavily throughout Utah and 

 Idaho at this writing. 

 Ogden, Utah, July 18. 



OREGON CROP BETTER THAN LAST YEAR 



REPORTED BY THE PORTLAND SEED COMPANY 



In the Willamette Valley from Portland 

 south we find that the expectations are that 

 the bulk of the crop has been secured. This 

 is true in nearly all localities. The vetch is 

 being harvested; alsike clover is ready to 

 cut; white clover is failing rapidly on ac- 

 count of the dry weather. Colonies average 

 75 lbs. comb honey. In a few instances 

 some expectations are that colonies have put 

 up 250 lbs. and upward. 



East of the mountains we understand the 

 alfalfa crop is hardly up to average, and at 

 the present time the beemen do not seem 



willing even to guess their average. Moun- 

 tain and river district reports will be in- 

 complete, as fireweed is now in full bloom, 

 and bees are storing rapidly. Expectations 

 are for from 75 to 100 lbs. comb honey. 



Portland has but one source of surplus — 

 white clover. Hundreds of acres have been 

 blooming for weeks. Honey is first-class, 

 colonies averaging 75 lbs. of fancy white- 

 clover honey. We consider the season a 

 better average in all districts than last year, 



Portland, Ore., July 14. 



LIGHT CROP IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN 



BY N. E. FRANCE 



Southern Wisconsin clover bloom has been 

 abundant, and is yet; cold nights and no 

 nectar; abundance of rain. July 5-10, 

 basswood yielded well here. Many hives 



now have three sets (30 in all) of L. frames 

 full of white honey. Season is over here. 

 General crop here is light. 

 Platteville, Wis., July 11. 



RAIN CAME 



BY P. J. R. MANEGOLD 



The bees were in fine condition this spring. 

 They did well daring fruit bloom, and there 

 was certainly every prospect of a good 

 season, but the dry and hot weather, com- 

 mencing earlier than last year, ruined it all. 



We have no white clover around here 



this season, while last year there was an 

 abundance of it everywhere. Those within 

 reach of basswood may have done well as it 

 was excellent. There will be but very little 

 surplus honey in this locality. 

 West Point, Iowa. 



