SEPTEMBER 15, 1914 



tot 



EEKEEPING IN THE SOUTHWEST 



Louis M, Sclioll, New Braimfels, Texas. 



In sections of New Mexico and Arizona 

 beekeepers are suffering losses of honej' 

 yields from the eatclaw on account of a 

 kind of blight that destroys the blossoms 

 during the blooming period. Several inqui- 

 ries have been sent me for information on 

 the subject; but it has been impossible for 

 me to find an answer to this question with 

 tlie meager particulars at hand. With the 

 intention of drawing out more information 

 on the subject I am mentioning it here. I 

 shall be glad to hear from beekeepers from 

 every section of the country where eatclaw 

 grows, if they have experienced trouble of 

 this kind, with a description of the trouble 

 and its extent. As soon as enough of this 

 information is in I shall be glad to investi- 

 gate the actual cause of the trouble and 



make a report. 



* ■* * 



BEES AND POULTRY AT THE TEXAS DRY-FARM- 

 ING CONGRESS. 



The Texas Dry-farming Congress has just 

 adjourned one of the most profitable ses- 

 sions here at Hondo, Texas. These Con- 

 gresses are held annually at various places 

 in this semi-arid portion of this great State, 

 and are indeed a great benefit to the coun- 

 try. 



All branches of agTieulture are given at- 

 tention at these meetings. Experts in their 

 respective lines of work are on the program, 

 and the discussions are very valuable. 



At the meetings just closed, lasting for 

 several days, the subject of bees was given 

 a proper place on the program. W. 0. 

 Victor was one of the speakers, with the 

 subject, "My Experience with Bees in South- 

 west Texas." In his discourse he enumerat- 

 ed his varied experiences in different sea- 

 sons he has been keeping bees in this part 

 of the State. He mentioned the large crops 

 that are often obtained during favorable 

 seasons, but at the same time called the 

 attention of his listeners to the fact that 

 not all seasons are so favorable. He related 

 that he has had to feed hundreds of dollars' 

 worth of sugar in order to tide his starving 

 colonies over a severe and unfavorable 

 spring or an extreme summer drouth. But 

 he stated that he was always repaid a 

 thousand fold for this extra care on his 

 part in bountiful honey crops later. 



As the Apieultural Expert of the Texas 

 State Department of Agriculture, I was 

 also on the program. The important role of 

 beekeeping, and especially as a splendid 

 combination with poultry in the present-day 

 movement for divei"sified farming, was em- 



phasized. The home fruit orchard as a 

 splendid place for keeping both the bees and 

 poultry, and the benefit to the orchard of 

 such a combination, was also pointed out. 

 I also mentioned the fact that I have never 

 believed a farm complete without a few 

 colonies of bees, carefully kept in modern 

 hives, to furnish for the family that most 

 healthful of all sweets — honey. 

 * * * 



MEETING OF TEXAS BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 

 AT COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS. 



In July the Texas Beekeepers' Association 

 held one of the most profitable sessions for 

 a number of years. More real business mat- 

 ters received attention at these sessions 

 than at any previous meeting, and more 

 interest and enthusiasm prevailed during 

 the many topics under discussion. 



It would be impossible for me to mention 

 even briefly the many important matters 

 discussed; but it is my intention to bring 

 brief accounts of the most important mat- 

 ters from time to time. 



it was gratifying indeed to listen to a 

 real business-like president's address, de- 

 livered by M. B. Caraway, of Mathis, Tex. 

 In his address he called especial attention 

 to the importance of co-operation and or- 

 ganized effort on the part of the Texas 

 beekeepers — ^one thing that is very much 

 neglected by them now. He pleaded for a 

 greater uniformity in packing our honey 

 crops, since the great difference in packing 

 honey now is an exceeding detriment to the 

 honey industry in Texas. A greater unifor- 

 mity of honey prices is also sought, be- 

 cause the beekeepers as a whole have had 

 to suffer severely on account of the great 

 lack of stable market prices. Among other 

 things the imi3ortance of an active legisla- 

 tive committee to look after sufficient appro- 

 priations for carrying on the foul-brood - 

 inspection work was mentioned. Due to the 

 failure of procuring such appropriations 

 during the last session of the legislature, our 

 foul-brood law has been practically a "dead 

 issue," because no inspection could be done. 



It is gratifying to me that these, and quite 

 a number of other matters of importance, 

 were given so much attention, because I 

 have mentioned all of these subjects from 

 time to time in these columns. I have often 

 regretted that these important questions did 

 not receive the attention of the beekeepe^^s 

 before this time, because there has been an 

 actual loss of thousands of dollars to the 

 beekeeping industry in Texas on account of 

 this very lack of attention. 



