March. 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



o 



N January 



26, Repre- 



senta t i v e 

 Louis H. SclioU 

 introduced i n 

 that branch of 

 the Texas Legis- 

 lature his bill 

 for the establish- 

 ment, maintenance, and management of ex- 

 perimental apiaries. On Januaiy 29 this 

 bill was introduced by Senator Carlos Bee, 

 of San Antonio, into that branch. These 

 apiaries are to be under the direction of 

 the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 and they are to be located at such places in 

 the state as may be deemed advisable by 

 the Director. An emergency is declared, 

 and it is to be hoped that the bill will make 

 rapid progress. An annual appropriation 

 of $6000 is provided for by this bill for 

 the establishmen;; and maintenance of the 

 experimental apiaries. Untold good will be 

 done the beekeeping industry of Texas if 

 this bill is jaassed by the legislature and 

 signed by the governor. 

 « * » 



In Texas there are .three primary honey- 

 producing sections, and at least three more 

 that are not quite so extensive. It is to be 

 hoped that the aj^iaries can be located with 

 regard to these areas for the pur^DOse of 

 solving the problems peculiar to each sec- 

 tion. The demands of each section will 

 vary from the others in the foundation prin- 

 ciples of apiculture. In the northern sec- 

 tion the greatest problem of the beekeepers 

 is the spring management. There is usually 

 a good supply of early pollen, and enough 

 nectar from wild flowers, to cause the bees 

 to raise considerable brood. But the dearth 

 that follows up to the cotton flow is so 

 long and severe that many colonies die of 

 starvation, and all are considerably weaken- 

 ed, and consequently are not in the best 

 condition for the cotton flow. In this sec- 

 tion many advocate placing the hives in ex- 

 posed places in order to retard spring activ- 

 ity as much as possible. 

 « « « 



In the central (cotton belt) section the 

 spring flow of horsemint takes care of the 

 spring-management problem. The proper 

 manipulation of outyards in this section 

 demands attention. There are vast areas 

 of cotton in cultivation ; and to handle the 

 yards properly to cover the most area 

 should certainly result in greatly increased 

 returns. In the large southwest section it 

 will be difficult to solve the ]>roblems by 

 work in a single locality. This section is 

 divided by the honey flora, which will need 



197 



more study. In 

 one 1 c a lily 

 spring dwin- 

 dling causes 

 enormous losses. 

 Immediate study 

 should be given 

 to this problem. 

 In this local- 

 ity bees worked on peach bloom from 

 January 15th to 25th. Pollen was being 

 gathered in large quantities on January 30 

 from the elms along the creeks. 



* » » 



Altbo the rainfall in this section is .70 of 

 an inch below normal for January, rains 

 have occurred that did great good. Storms 

 have occurred over the state generally, giv- 

 ing much needed moisture. In some sec- 

 tions snow fell in very unusual quantity. 

 Hoi"semint has been benefited very much 

 by these rains. Our cultivated horsemint is 

 looking very nice now. 



In the extreme western section of the 

 state the bees have come thru the winter in 

 good condition and the beekeepers are look- 

 ing foi'ward to a prosperous spring. 



* » » 



In the Rio Grande section the fall honey- 

 flow Avas so short that it was necessary to 

 feed heavily during the winter. Xow the 

 spring flow is on in that section, and the 

 bees have from three to six frames of brood. 

 Inspection work was satisfactorily done in 

 the middle of January in this section. 

 » * » 



Most of the county beekeepers' associa- 

 tions have held their first meeting of the 

 year and have elected officers for the coming 

 year. Many of these associations hold four 

 meetings each year, at such times as will 

 bring up timely discussions on the seasonal 

 management of bees. All of the associa- 

 tions are co-operating with the State Ento- 

 mologist in the eradication of foul brood. 

 « » • 



More Texas beekeepers will sell bees in 

 pound packages this spring than ever be- 

 fore. In sections where bees build up 

 readily in the spring it is said that such a 

 disposal of bees partly takes care of the 

 natural-increase problem. 

 « * « 



A few of the larger beekeepers in a south- 

 western county are buying up all the bees 

 that are for sale in that locality. It is evi- 

 dent they are giving little worry that the 

 honey market will be flooded next fall. All 

 evidence seems to point to the fact that 

 some of the smaller dealers have been guilty 

 of keeping the local price down. 



