THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



September, 



CALIFORNIA HONEY PRODUC- 

 ERS. 



The California National Honey 

 Producers' Association, has sent out 

 a circular to its members containing 

 some matters of interest to the honey 

 producers of California. The associa- 

 tion represents about 25.000 colonies 

 of bees or about one-fourth of the bees 

 in the seven southern counties of the 

 state. Southern California is report- 

 ed as having about one-third of a crop. 

 Avith prospects for a fair crop in the 

 central part of the state. Colorado 

 will have about 60 per cent of a crop 

 while Arizona will have the lightest in 

 years. 



The association has not fixed an ar- 

 bitrary price on honey, but its mem- 

 bers are advised to hold their crop 

 for the following prices: White 5 

 cents, light amber 4 3-4 cents, amber 4 

 cents. Arrangements can be made for 

 storage in Los Angeles for $2 per ton 

 per year for extracted with 50 per cent 

 additional for comb honey, and there 

 insured for $100 per ton at a yearly 

 rate of 50 cents. The estimated crop 

 for southern Caliiornia based upon 

 the reports received and the number 

 of cases and cans sold is placed at 

 125 cars of 20 tons each. — Orchard 

 and Farm. 



PROFITABLE SEASON IN 

 IRELAND. 



After three successive years of mis- 

 fortune, it is most gratifying to re- 

 ceive reports of success from every 

 part of the country, and also from 

 England and Scotland. During .the 

 time of adversity many were asked: 

 "Is there money in bees?" and many 

 replied by giving up the industry al- 

 together. Faint-hearted and im- 

 patient, they had not the pluck which 

 perseveres aud welcomes difficulties 

 for the joy of overcoming them. The 

 hopeful and determined kept on dog- 

 gedly, waiting for a favorable season, 

 and confident that there is "money in 

 bees" when skies are blue, and fields 

 are bathed in sunshine. 



June and July brought us the weath- 

 er required for the secretion of nectar, 

 and for its gathering by the eager lit- 

 tle workers and now the delighted 

 owners are complaining that the 

 books, in suggesting a possible profit 

 jHUUOu B ui >(DOis jad z-^ jo 



season, have misrepresented the case. 

 We hear of i68tt)s of section honey 

 per stock from counties wide apart, 

 while some experienced bee-keepers 

 are counting upon 20olbs. of surplus 

 honey per stock. With 2ootbs. the 

 net profit should be well over £3, or 

 from 100 per cent, to 150 per cent, 

 upon the capital involved, and we 

 shall have to reckon 1905 as above the 

 normal — a season to be remembered 

 for the splendid work accomplished 

 by the bees. 



It is worth noting that, judging 

 from the reports to hand, the best re- 

 sults have been obtained by Italians, 

 and, of course, by stocks which had 

 young queens. Swarming has been 

 very general, in spite of all precau- 

 tions, but where the swarms were 

 rightly managed, the owners have 

 both increased their stocks and secur- 

 ed a good return of honey. 



Marketing will now demand careful 

 attention. It may be assumed that, 

 with honey so ' plentiful, prices will 

 drop, and only the article that is ex- 

 cellent, and that is properly prepared 

 for the buyer, will sell to the best ad- 

 vantage. — Irisli Bee Journal. 



A Mr. Thomas I. Weston, of Hoak 

 Hampshire, Engand, under date April 

 i8th, 1905. in the American Bee- 

 Keeper, makes a violent attack upor 

 the Irish Bee-keepers' Association 

 which he describes as "split up by in- 

 ternal quarrels." One wonders whal 

 has the I.B.K.A. done to Mr. Thomas 

 I. Weston of Hook, Hampshire, Eng- 

 land, that he should go so far afield to 

 malign the Irish Association. There 

 is no justification whatever for the as- 

 serticai that the I.B.K.A. is split up by 

 internal quarrels, nor, in fact, that it 

 has any quarrels at all, internal ot 

 otherwise, and when we have said this 

 we have taken more than sufficient 

 notice of Mr. Thomas I. Weston and 

 his misrepresentations. — Irish Bee 

 Journal. 



Why should we faint and fear to live 

 alone. 

 Since all alone, so Heaven has will- 

 ed, we die. 

 Nor even the tenderest heart, and 

 next our own. 

 Knows half the reasons why we 

 smile and sigh. fj. Keble. 



