June, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



467 



THAT the 

 beekeepiiiii' 

 industry of 

 Texas is not 

 fully appreciated is one of the facts brought 

 out by the series of meetings held by the 

 Texas A. and M. College and the State 

 Entonidlog'ist in co-operation with Mr. Ken- 

 nith Hawkins of the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture. These meetings were arrang- 

 ed primarily for Mr. Hawkins, in such a 

 way as to allow him to see all degrees of the 

 industry. Places were visited where but 

 few bees were kept and there was no local 

 beekeepers' association ; next, places where 

 local associations exist and beekeeping' is 

 just beginning to develop; and, finally, 

 places with local associations and a higlily 

 developed industry. Naturally considerable 

 attention was given to the flora in each sec- 

 tion. It was found that in some localities 

 the flora was most excellent for keeping 

 bees; but the people were ignorant and in- 

 different to the possibilities of the industry. 

 In another section it was found that several 

 beekeepers Avere attempting to develop bee- 

 keeping, but the flora was not sufficient. In 

 one section it became very evident that 

 floral conditions are almost ideal for bee- 

 keeping, but the industry is only well start- 

 ed. This section is seldom heard of in bee- 

 keeping; but the prospects are certainly as 

 good as any in the state, and there is every 

 reason to expect a great development there 

 in the next few years. It Avas hard to find 

 the principal honey-producing section in 

 such a condition as it is this year on account 

 of drouth and late spring freezes. 



At every place the beekeepers who at- 

 tended the meetings were intensely interest- 

 ed in solving their local problems. Much 

 time was given to the discussion of these 

 matters, and in every case the beekeepers 

 felt that they were better able to meet their 

 conditions after attending the meeting's. 

 Needless to say, the field meets were en- 

 joyed by all. These are in keeping with 

 the modern idea of instruction, " to do is 

 better than to say;" a demonstration is more 

 easy to comprehend than a lecture. 



In this connection, meetings Avere ar- 

 ranged in two counties betAveen the County 

 Agricultural Agent and the local beekeepers' 

 association to hold schoolhouse meetings to 

 demonstrate modern beekeeping, primarily 

 with a view to eliminate box hives. There 

 is no doubt that this step will mean much 

 for the industry in those counties. Re- 

 ports of the first meeting are already in and 

 they were considered a great success. 



Many of the prominent persons in Texas 

 beekeeping Avere met at those meetings. It 

 is ahvays interesting to knoAv and talk Avith 



IN TEXAS 



By F. B. Paddock, State Entomologist 



those of Avhom 

 one has read as 

 being leaders in 

 a certain line of 

 Avork. SeA'eral of these men are well-known 

 queen-raisers, others are large honey-pro- 

 ducers. 



The net results of these meetings haA'e 

 turned out far more than Avere anticipated. 

 Not only have the places visited asked for 

 a return meeting, but many other places 

 have expressed a keen disappointment that 

 they Avere not selected for this first series 

 of meetings. 



HONEY PROSPECTS. 



Conditions over the state generally have 

 improved materially since our last report. 

 Local rains have occurred over most of the 

 state Avhich have been a Avonderful help. 

 There is still a very great deficiency in mois- 

 ture, and many of the honey-plants will 

 suffer accordingly. In this locality prickly 

 ash Avas in bloom from April 15 to 25, and 

 the bees Avorked very hard on it during that 

 period. The mesquite bloomed from April 

 24 to May 10, but the bees did not seem to 

 Avork hard on it. California privet bloomed 

 from May 1 to 10. The period Avas very 

 much sliortened by di-y Aveather. The bees 

 Avorked very hard on it. Horsemint came 

 into bloom the first Aveek in May. The flow 

 Avill undoubtedly be very short on account 

 of the extreme drouth. In the southern 

 section the mesquite flow has been short, 

 but the second bloom is expected to yield 

 Avell. In the Avestern section the mesquite 

 lias not done Avell ; huajilla has done very 

 Avell, and catclaw ])romises to yield Avel'l. 

 In the eastern section the conditions have 

 been very favorable this spring. Rattan 

 and holly have done unusually Avell, and 

 some beekeepers have put on the third super 

 and are now extracting. In this section 

 the best honey-plants are yet to yield, which 

 indicates an excellent crop of honey for 

 that section. In the northern section the 

 bees are building up well. 



GREAT INCREASE IN COMBLESS-PACKAGE SHIP- 

 MENTS. 



There has been developing in this state 

 during the last two years a great trade in 

 pound or combless packages of bees. In 

 the usual Avay this trade has not been adA'er- 

 tised but several beekeepers sell a thousand 

 pounds of bees in this Avay during the 

 spring. In the southwest section of the 

 state, where the honey-floAv Avas cut short, 

 some of the beekeepers made an additional 

 effort to dispose of their bees in this Avay, 

 to reduce the cost of feeding and to realize 

 some revenue. Noav comes the suggestion 

 from Dr. Phillips that, due to the excessive 



