MARCH 15, 1916 



238 



BEEKEEPING IN THE SOUTHWEST 



Louis H. SchoU, New Braunfels, Texas 



I FRIO COUNTY BEEKEEPERS' ANNUAL 

 MEETING. 



The writer had the pleasure of 

 being- in attendance at the annual 

 meeting of the Frio County Bee- 



I keepers' Association at Pearsall, 



Texas, Feb. 7, at which an enthu- 

 siastic bunch of beekeepers were present. 

 The outlook for honey, altho very bright in 

 the early part of the year, had been some- 

 what disturbed by a late freeze in the early 

 part of January. The earlier shrubs had 

 already been in bloom, and the famous 

 huajilla (uah-he-ah) was " tagging " — a 

 term used for " budding " by the beekeep- 

 ers of the southwest-Texas country; but 

 these were destroyed by the frost; and as 

 the huajilla is the principal source for sur- 

 plus there was considerable gloom in the 

 meeting over the prospects. Prior to the 

 freeze, beekeeping operations were already 

 well under way. There prevailed a hope 

 that at least part of the losses sustained 

 during the preceding year of practical fail- 

 ure might be recouped by a good crop this 

 year. The later-yielding vegetation was not 

 affected, it seems, and there is still hope 

 tliat even the huajilla and other shrubs 

 injured by the frost so early in the season 

 may again put out with renewed vigor and 

 still yield well. 



The officers elected for the ensuing year 

 are, Frank Talbot, Pearsall, President; 0. 

 E. Milam, Moore, Vice-president ; B. I. Gril- 

 man, Pearsall, re-elected Secretary-treasur- 

 er; and R. A. Little, Pearsall, re-elected 

 County Foul-brood Inspector. Among other 

 matters before the association was a request 

 to the writer, as a member of the Texas 

 legislature, for an address on the subject of 

 the foul-brood work of the state, and par- 

 ticularly the foul-brood appropriations and 

 the efforts that so successfully aided in ob- 

 taining in all $13,000 for this work for 

 three years. 



ITINERARY BEEKEEPERS' MEETINGS IN TEXAS. 



There are at present something like twenty 

 county and district beekeepers' organiza- 

 tions in Texas, and a number more organ- 

 izing. Each of these organizations has a 

 certain stimulating effect in its respective 

 territory toward an uplift of the beekeep- 

 ing industry. Besides, eaeli of these asso- 

 ciations has a county or district foul-brood 

 inspector to aid in the inspection work, and 

 thus not only protect the beekeepers' inter- 

 ests of tlie community, but (o aid in carry- 

 ing out more effectively the state foul- 



brood-eradication work. The gatherings, 

 field days, and beekeepers' picnics all have 

 a salutary effect. 



Another valuable step in addition- to this 

 great number of organizations will be the 

 holding of consecutive meetings of as many 

 or all organizations in rotation, one follow- 

 ing the other in such a manner that a lec- 

 turing staff can attend a large number of 

 such gatherings on a single trip. 



It is contemplated at present to arrange 

 for such an itinerary in the very near fu- 

 ture, actuated by the probability of a visit 

 to Texas of a number of distinguished 

 northern beekeepers. Among them are ex- 

 pected such beekeepers as C. P. Dadant, 

 E. R. Root, Dr. Phillips, Frank C. Pellett, 

 and others. These will be joined upon their 

 arrival in Texas by a number of prominent 

 Texas beekeepers who will make the rounds 

 to the various meetings with them. State 

 Entomologist Paddock, LeStourgeon, and 

 the writer are among those who expect to 

 join on the trip. Dates of meetings and 

 other details are being worked out, and will 

 be made known as soori as completed. 



It is to be hoped that this will not be the 

 only itinerary of this kind, but that there 

 may be others during the year. 



SPRING CLEANING-TIME HERE AGAIN. 



At this time of the year my enthusiasm 

 in apiary work runs high, and there is 

 nothing I enjoy more than to take trips out 

 to the apiaries on warm days in early 

 spring for the purpose of cleaning up the 

 yards and putting everything in apple-pie 

 order. This spring cleaning is of the ut- 

 most importance to us; and preparing for 

 the year's work makes this decidedly more 

 pleasant and agreeable. Both the clean 

 yards, and the finding of the colonies in 

 excellent condition, beginning their yearly 

 operations by the rearing of brood and 

 building up to rousing strength for the 

 honey-flows later, increases our enthusiasm. 

 Under these circumstances the bees must 

 obviously receive the best of care. Exam- 

 inations of the colonies should be carefully 

 made, primarily for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining their probable needs, in stores or 

 otheiTvise ; and allow me to emphasize again 

 the importance of " cutting out " all the 

 useless drone comb as it is discovered dur- 

 ing these examinations. It is true that I 

 have repeatedly mentioned this during the 

 last s?veral years; but it is equally true 

 that there still remains much drone comb to 

 cut out, Cut it out ! 



