626 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



August, 1917 



in two 60-lb. cases f. o, b. A little honey 

 has been sold in the wesltern section at the 

 same price. Thrnout the remainder of the 

 state no honey has been offered for sale ; 

 but it is yet early for honey to be put on 

 the market in the northern sections. 



* * * 



We regret that we are forced 'to say that 

 the bee-moth is still causing considerable 

 loss to the beekeepers of the state. Many 

 small beekeepers do not know what this pest 

 is or how to detect its presence. There are 

 ^fill a greater number of large beekeepers 

 who consider the bee-moth a necessary evil. 

 There is a chance to overcome ignorance, 

 but it is a much more difficult matter to 

 counteract indifference. Why siome bq^- 

 keepers are willing to allow the bee-motli to 

 cost them $10 to $50 a year is hard to 

 undersltand. A tax of from 2 to 10 per cent 

 in a direct way would cause much action. 

 The presence of the bee-moth is the result 

 of indifferent methods of beekeeping. 



* * * 



Some time ago mention was made of a 

 move in two counties to put on demonstra- 

 tions of transferring bees from box hives 

 to movable-frame hives. In each county 

 (McLennan and Anderson) there is a 

 large proportion of box-hive beekeepers. 

 Arrangements were made by the County 

 Apiary Inspector and the County Agi-icul- 

 tural Agent to hold these demonstrations in 

 a box-hive locality. Reports from the dera- 

 onsti'ations held thus far indicaite that the 

 results are more gratifying than had been 

 expected. The time of the insr;ector in 

 every case was free, but they feel well re- 



paid for their efforts. Such encouraging 

 results from th^ first effoi^ts of such an im- 

 portant work will stimulate those already 

 started to greater effort, and should prove, 

 to be an example for many other counties 

 in the state wherein is localted a county api- 

 ary inspector and a county agricultural 

 agent. * * * 



Of late much complaint is being heard, 

 from both the shipper and buyer, of the 

 inability to get pound packages of bees to 

 reach their destination in firslt-class condi- 

 tion. There has been a very great trade 

 developed this year in this state for bees 

 by the pound. When the investigation dis- 

 closed the fact that some Iten of the largest 

 beekeepers had in past years shipped suc- 

 cessfully to all points in the United States 

 and Canada it was felt that the additional 

 demand of tliis year would be met satisfac- 

 torily. Since no two shippers use exactly 

 the same methods it is impossible to give a 

 single reason for the f ulure. In some cases 

 it is evident that ins; ifieient water was sup- 

 plied. In other instances the bees got muss- 

 ed from the feed provided for them. There 

 is a feeling among several of the shippers 

 that the bees have been smothered by im- 

 proper care at th° hards of the express com- 

 panies. Of course for some time now it has 

 been very hot, and the pound-package trade 

 has lasted longer than usual, so it may be 

 that heat is largely responsible for the 

 heavy losses. At any rate, improved 

 methods must be devised ; for the pound 

 package of bees is a trade that has come to 

 stay, and will certainly develop as the effi- 

 ciency of shipping is increased. 



AMONG THE ROCKIES 



Wesley Foster, Boulder, Colorado 



TH E season 

 is two to 

 three weeks 

 late ; but since 

 June 15 the weather has warmed up so that 

 all vegetation has well nigh caught up. 

 Sweet clover is not more than one week 

 late in blooming, and alfalfa has been 

 y 'elding honey very well from the first crop, 

 ihe price of hay has been so high that we 

 were expecting alfalfa to be cut vei-y early ; 

 but the farmers seem to be short-handed, 

 and the alfalfa is standing, with the re- 

 sult that bees are getting a chance at the 

 blossoms. 



A little surplus honey will be secured 

 from the first crop of alfalfa, but not much. 

 The bees ai-e swarming, and that causes some 

 trouTsle; but most districts should end up 

 the season with their normal number of 



colonies. Sweet 

 clover is not so 

 plentiful as last 

 year, but we 

 shall doubtless have some honey from it. 

 Horsemint has yielded some honey, and 

 would have done excellently had we been 

 favored with a few copious rains the latter 

 part of June. Our crojD will be far more 

 satisfactory if we can have one or two 

 inches of rain before July 15. 



HONEY PRICES. 



Concerning prices, there are none on 

 comb honey. Beekeepers seem to think 

 comb honey will advance in proportion as 

 has extracted, but I hardly think so. If 

 we can secure ten or twenty per cent more 

 than last j'ear we shall be fortunate. 



The retail grocer does not want to pay 

 over $3.75 a case for comb honey delivered 



