In the Kootenays, bee-keeping would appear to be in its infancy. Only one report 

 has been received from East Kootenay, the writer being a resident of Cranbrook. He 

 has secured as high as 100 pounds of extracted honey a hive in a good season, and 

 altogether seems satisfied with the returns. 



In West Kootenay, Revelstoke reports 40 to 56 sections per hive ; Proctor a little 

 more ; while a Kaslo bee-keeper with ten years' experience gets 50 sections, adding that 

 his source is entirely from the clover in the town, there being no nectar-bearing plants 

 in the vicinity. One apiarist in Revelstoke believes there is sufficient pasturage for 200 

 colonies in the neighbourhood. 



On Vancouver Island, bee-keeping has been carried on for about thirty years, and at 

 present there is an almost continuous chain of hives from Victoria to Comox. The 

 general climatic conditions are rather similar throughout the entire line, but the advent 

 of the spring blossoms is much later by a few weeks in Nanaimo than in the south end 

 of the Island. There is, however, great unanimity in the statement of returns, which, 

 briefly put, is 25 sections per hive, or 40 pounds of extracted honey. There is also 

 general agreement that a few hives make an interesting side-line that yields a moderate 

 profit, but there is no present possibility of bee-keeping on an extensive scale with any 

 hope of financial success. The climatic conditions are very similar to those described 

 as existing in the New Westminster region : cool weather in spring, and cool nights in 

 June, this month being the season of the honey -flow. 



From the Fraser River, in Yale District, two reports were received. At Lytto^^ 

 the principal source is alfalfa, the yield being 50 pounds extracted a hive. At Agassiz 

 the source is clover and fruit-blossoms, giving 25 pounds surplus in a good season. 



Speaking broadly, the dry-belt region of the Province is far ahead of the coast 

 districts for the purposes of bee-keeping. 



Seasonal Developments. 



In the southern part of Vancouver Island the bees have occasional flights in 

 January and February, but it is not until about the 20th of the latter month that they 

 fly freely, and by that time the willow is in bloom, so that pollen is often carried in 

 during the last week. Nanaimo reports free flight early in March, but Comox is later 

 by a few weeks. Willow is plentiful in all regions. 



From the Delta up to Mission free flight is usual in the first week of March. At 

 Revelstoke it is after the middle of the month. All along the Fraser River willow is 

 reported as plentiful. 



In the Okanagan and other dry-belt regions the date of free flight varies from the 

 1st to the 15th of March. At Vernon the first pollen is carried in about March 12th. 

 However, from several districts of the arid region there comes a complaint of the lack 

 of pollen in the spring, so that it will be probably advisable to provide a substitute in 

 the form of pea-flour, according to the methods described in a later chapter on feeding. 

 In contrast, Rossland reports a plentiful supply of pollen. 



In most regions dandelions and fruit-blooms follow the willow ; in fact, one 

 rancher wants to know how to get rid of the first named, a rather unusual request from 

 a bee-keeper. The writer would like to oblige with a remedy, but though he wrestled 

 with the problem for several years and consulted many experts, the only conclusion he 

 arrived at was this : the more thoroughly he mowed the lawn, the quicker it developed 

 into a dandelion paradise. Therefore, like a child, he learned to love the glorious 

 display of yellow ; as a bee-keeper, he welcomed the blossoms. 



Clover and snowberry bloom round about Victoria about June 1st, but it is not 

 until about the 20th of the month that the bees begin to get surplus honey. As fruit- 

 blooms are over about the last week in May, there is frequently quite a dearth of nectar 



