272 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



their combs inverted. The same is 

 true of changing the spaces between 

 them, and very many other manip- 

 ulations that science has proven are 

 very advantageous. I am aware that 

 I J- inches is the average distance 

 chosen by the bees when in nowise 

 guided by human intelligence ; but 

 as it is a fact that in many respects, 

 we cannot afford to work against, or 

 other than encourage the natural in- 

 stincts of the bee, it is also true that in 

 many ways we must do just that, if we 

 expect to attain the highest success. 



Professor McLain has written me 

 that he is not yet sure that long prac- 

 tised inversion of brood, will not de- 

 generate the quality of our work- 

 ers. Although I can see no tendency 

 in that direction, after four years' con- 

 tinuance of the practice, yet I am 

 aware that in an evolutionary sense 

 the length of my experience is much 

 too short to warrant a wise decision ; 

 yet if such should prove to be the 

 case, I shall not be the loser for I find 

 after a third season's use of my new 

 hive that the judicious use of a hor- 

 izontally divisible, alternating brood- 

 chamber, accomplishes nearly if not 

 quite all we gain by inversion, besides 

 its very many other useful functions. 



But I am willing to go to record 

 as favoring the inversion of brood- . 

 combs, and stating that it is my be- 

 lief that divisible, alternating brood- 

 chamber mentioned above, is the 

 only practical substitute for it. 



Dowagiac, Mich. 



For the American ApiculUirist. 



APICULTURE IN CAL- 

 IFORNIA. 



A. Norton. 



HOME OF THE CALIFORNIA HONEY 

 BEE. 



Ed. Apiculturist : — This is the 

 season when articles for bee papers 

 cannot be expected to be suited to 



all sections and readers. The topic 

 of wintering bees, so important in 

 the east to-day, has very little inter- 

 est attaching in California where bees 

 can fly with impunity nearly every 

 week throughout the winter, and, 

 rainy weather excepted, I might say 

 almost every day from lo a. m. till 

 sundown at least. 



Therefore with the certainty that 

 nothing can be appropriate to all, 

 but that beekeepers have more leis- 

 ure to read general matter, I may 

 venture to dwell upon some of the 

 characteristics of apiculture in this 

 state. 



The typical California "bee-ranch" 

 must be sought in the southern por- 

 tion of the state. 



In the central counties, it is true, 

 are, here and there, localities where 

 beekeepers and their stocks are 

 many ; and where wild bees are a- 

 bundant in trees and rocks. Even 

 the northern counties produce bee- 

 pasturage of their kind ; and now 

 and then, as well as in Oregon, an 

 enterprising and progressive man 

 keeps bees after modern methods, 

 and becomes the pioneer of an in- 

 dustry which he may have the pleas- 

 ure at some time to see established 

 in his region. 



But it was the product of the 

 southern coast counties that made 

 CaUfornia honey famous ; and it is 

 in those counties to-day that the 

 apiary is managed in true California 

 style with those distinctive features 

 that render a California bee-farm and 

 its surroundings different from other 

 apiaries and interesting to beekeepers 

 in other states. In the central coun- 

 ties not nearly so many colonies are 

 generally kept in each apiary ; the 

 localities are not so far out of the 

 world ; and the industry is by no 

 means such a recognized /actor in the 

 prosperity of the community. The 

 description of the real bee-farm there- 

 fore may not fit these other apiaries 

 in all particulars and it may even 

 seem a little unreal to beekeepers in 



