370 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



June, 1922 



havior and the climatic conditions affecting 

 it will help us all immensely in beekeeping 

 practices — it will mean bigger crops. 

 Minor Honey Sources. 



In choosing a sage location we must also 

 have in mind other sources of nectar. An 

 ideal sage location will afford sufficient nec- 

 ■ tar for "breeding up" and "filling up." 

 A continuity of nectar secretion is desirable 

 during the two months prior to the sage 

 flow, and again during the fall, so that the 

 bees can f 11 up for winter. A sage location, 

 then, should contain such spring bloom as 

 manzanita, willoAv, laurel, alder, wild lilac; 

 and, in the fall, Avild alfalfa, wild buck- 

 wheat, sumac, honeydew and blue curls. 

 Otherwise the bees will be compelled to con- 

 sume more sage honey or sugar syrup, unless 

 migratory beekeeping has been resorted to. 

 Furthermore, a good range will never lack 

 sufficient pollen-bearing plants during 

 spring, as well as water during all seasons 

 of the year. 



Protective Measures. 



It is wise in the selection of a bee location 

 to bear in mind the possibility of forest fires, 

 and to ascertain, if possible, where probable 

 firebreaks might be located. It might also 

 be necessary to consider the possible whole- 

 sale grazing of sliocj) on a range, ;is sheep 



The Apiary Site. 



The selection of our apiary site is a mat* 

 ter of convenience and protection against 

 inclemency of the weather. Figures 1, 2 

 and 3 show different types of apiary sites. ' 

 The first is out in the open, altogether un- 

 protected, and the writer can vouch with ab- 

 solute certainty that the bees in this unpro- 

 tected site needed 15 pounds of honey per 

 colony more than protected bees in order to 

 winter and breed up for a honey flow. This 

 yard, although it needed this extra amount 

 of stores, yielded, over a period of six years, 

 an average colony surplus of 156 pounds in 

 the San Joaquin Valley. 



Fig. 2 shows a protected yard in a euca- 

 lyptus grove. This type of site affords suf- 

 ficient protection and would be entirely sat- 

 isfactory were it not for the dampness un- 

 der the trees during winter. In Fig. 3 we 

 have an ideal windbreak surrounding the 

 apiary, with the southern exposure open ad- 

 mitting plenty of sunlight. Plenty of sun- 

 light at all times can not be overemphasized. 

 Exceptions to this statement are found only 

 in regions like the Imperial Valley. 

 Overstocking. 



On a good sage range the question of over- 

 stocking does not so much concern itself 

 with the sage as it does with the bloom 

 which helps out in the breeding-up and fill- 

 ing-up periods. 



Fig. 3. — The ideal apiary site surrovmded by trees except on the south where a tlood of sunlight can 



always enter. 



ill dry seasons are very destructive to sage 

 shoots. Another protective range measure 

 is that of not permitting the introduction 

 of a dark-colored honey, such as horehound, 

 from contaminating a sage region. We like- 

 wise choose a range from the standpoint of 

 marketing facilities, and outyard and migra- 

 tory possibilities; and lastly, some of us 

 will pay a little attention as to whether or 

 not any of our neighbors harbor American 

 foul brood. 



Locations are rarely overstocked during 

 main flows, and the question of overstock- 

 ing concerns itself only Avith the caring 

 of the bees over winter and preparing them 

 for next season 's crops. Nowadays, the ten- 

 dency is not to have over 150 to 200 colonies 

 in any one apiary, no matter how good the 

 range may be. It is better policy to have 

 five yards of about 100 colonies each, and 

 ha.ve til em a quarter of a mile apart, than 

 to liave all the bees located in one yard. 



