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AMERICAN BEE JOURJMAI-. 



back from the river, in the foot-hills, 

 there is a dense growth of shrub bushes, 

 such as the juisesh, jhajie, and catclaw ; 

 also many other semi-tropical plants 

 and thorn bushes. Don't understand 

 me to say that this valley is eight miles 

 wide all along ; on the contrary, the 

 mountains almost crowd the river out of 

 existence in places. 



In all my Travels over this country I 

 can remember of seeing but one colony 

 of bees, and that was in the custom- 

 house yard at Presidio. The hive was a 

 large dry-goods box with one side 

 knocked out for an entrance, though the 

 bees were partly protected by a piece of 

 of blanket flapping loosely over this 

 side. I often raised this blanket and 

 looked in at the bees, but they never 

 offered to sting. 



These bees belonged to an old Mexi- 

 can, and at the time he robbed them, I 

 was scouting in the Chicos mountians. 

 Some of the boys that remained at the 

 custom-house said that he took a tub- 

 full of honey from them, but I think the 

 boys exaggerated, as "Rangers" often 

 do in matters of little importance. Any- 

 way, a couple of weeks later I cut out 

 about eight pounds of as fine white 

 honey as I ever saw. It was, I think, 

 mostly gathered from mesquite. 



Statistics for 1888 and 1889 show 

 thatthere were in Presidio county 61 

 colonies of bees ; amount of honey gath- 

 ered, 1,050 pounds; value, $235. 



Foley county is very much like Presi- 

 dio, with the exception that it is an or- 

 ganized county, and attached judicially 

 to Brewster county. It is more moun- 

 tainous, and more sparsely settled than 

 Presidio. 



I haven't written this article to dis- 

 courage any one, neither have I tried- to 

 exaggerate for or against, but as hon- 

 estly and plainly as it is possible for me 

 to do, I have pictured the county. I 

 wouldn't advise any one to go there, es- 

 pecially to the river section, unless he is 

 a lover of adventure. It would also be 

 a pious idea for you to take your gizzard 

 along with you — one such as "Ramb- 

 ler" of Olcanings fame must certainly 

 possess ; for you will not only have rat- 

 tlesnakes, centipedes, tarantulas, vine- 

 garous and " stink-cats," to deal with, 

 but many of the most cowardly, cruel cut- 

 throat Mexican outlaws. It is not nec- 

 essary for further explanation, you un- 

 derstand what 1 mean. I have yet to 

 see the man that has been bitten by any 

 one of the three poisonous insects, 

 though the country is swarming with 

 them ; but, on the other hand, I can 



show you many graves, besides the three 

 graves of my comrades (one of which 

 was my captain), whose occupants died 

 by the hand of the cowardly Mexican 

 assassin in that country. 

 Round Rock, Texas. 



iJoDTenfion IVotice». 



KANSAS.— The Kansas State Bee-Keepers' 

 Association will meet at Ottawa, Kans., on 

 Dec. 28th and 29th. 1893. Free entertain- 

 ment to all members in attendance. Come 

 and get acquainted. J. R. Barnhard, See. 



Ottawa, Kans. 



VERMONT.— The 19th Annual Convention 

 of the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will 

 be held in Burlington, Vt., on Jan 24 and 25, 

 1894. Programmes later. All interested in 

 apiculture are invited to be present. Whether 

 you live in Vermont or outside, come to the 

 Burlington meeting. H. W. Scott, Sec. 



Barre, Vt. 



NEBRASKA.— The winter meeting of the 

 Nebraska State Bee-Keepers' AssociatioQ will 

 be held at York, Nebr., on Tuesday and 

 Wednesday. Jan. 23 and 24, 1894. Interest- 

 ing essays will be prepared by those competent 

 to interest. For particulars, address the Sec- 

 retary. L. D. Stilson, Sec. 



York, Nebr. 



MICHIGAN. —The Michigan State Bee- 

 Keepers' Association will hold its annual con- 

 vention, in the Common Council Chamber, in 

 the City Hall Building, in Flint, on Jan. 2 and 

 3,1894. This will be at a time when reduced 

 rates may be secured. Head-quarters for the 

 bee-keepers will be at the Dajton Hotel, 

 where rates are reduced from $1,50 to $1,00 

 per day. It is a most desirable place to stop- 

 neat, clean, good table and good beds, and a 

 temperance house. 



Flint, Mich, W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec. 



Have Yoii 'I'riecl to get a new sub- 

 scriber for the Bee Journal this fall ? We 

 olfer to throw in the balance of this year 

 free to new subscribers for 1894, besides 

 their choice of one of the books offered to 

 them on page 778 of this Journal, 'Then 

 we also give a ])reraium to a present sub- 

 scriber who will send in new ones. It seems 

 to us that our liberal offers this fall ought 

 induce every one of our readers to aid in 

 doubling the circulation of the Bee Jour- 

 nal within six months. Why not help do 

 this, and then see what a grand journal we 

 can furnish to everybody when once the 

 increased number of readers is secured ? If 

 each present reader would send only one 

 new subscriber besides his or her own re- 

 newal before Jan. 1st, the thing would be 

 done. Will you do it, reader ? 



See Our IX^'^v I'reiniiiin Liist on 



page 773, and then decide to get some of the 

 premiums offered for securing new sub- 

 scribers for the Bee Journal. We want 

 every one of our present subscribers to 

 help us increase the number of our regular 

 readers. Will you see what you can do 

 toward it ? 



