THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



691 



Crop Report in Los Angeles Co., Oal. 



We see that Mr. W. W. Bliss, in the 

 California Apicultni-ist, for October, 

 speaking of the report sent to the 

 North American Bee-Keepers' So- 

 ciety, as published on page 693 of this 

 issue, says : 



I advertised through the Apiculturist 

 for the names and addresses of all 

 wtio kept bees in Los Angeles county. 

 From that advertisement I received 

 not one name from any one who is 

 now keeping bees. 



Mr. Gallup, of Santa Ana, was tlie 

 only one who seemed to take any in- 

 terest in the matter. He sent me the 

 names, addresses, and number of colo- 

 nies of 36 bee-keepers. 



These, with the names I had, com- 

 prised a list of 65, to whom I sent 

 blanks to be filled out and returned, 

 and up to date 1 have received but 18. 



Since the report was sent, I have 

 received the following : 614 colonies 

 of bees, 8,000 lbs. of comb honey, and 

 64,000 lbs. of extracted honey. 



Mr. Gallup's report and the one 

 above included, makes 4,864 colonies 

 of bees in the county, that 1 could get 

 any account of. 



Now, I for one am ashamed to send 

 in such a report as this, but it is the 

 best that I could do. Some of the bee- 

 keepers were very careless in filling 

 out the blanks after they were sent to 

 them. Some did not state whether 

 the bees were Italian, hybrid, or 

 black, and in those cases I put them 

 down as the latter. Others sent re- 

 ports of those out of the county, etc. 

 Kind friends, do not think I am say- 

 ing this to find fault, only to show 

 you your mistakes, that you may do 

 better next time. 



I wish to make a suggestion, i.e., 

 that every bee-keeper keep a correct 

 record of everything taken from their 

 respective apiaries, that brings in the 

 cash, and let us see if we cannot pre- 

 sent a better report for the year 1883. 



Some will remember that last year 

 we called for crop reports for the 

 whole country and obtained statistics 

 of only 520 colonies for California. 

 Thereupon, a writer in the " Semi- 

 Tropic California" roundly abused us 

 for such a report, when the assessor 

 of Los Angeles county alone had found 

 some 17,000 colonies there. Time 

 cures everything; the above from the 

 " California Apiculturist '" completely 

 vindicates our report of last year. If 

 the bee-keepers there do not take the 

 trouble to report, they cannot expect 

 to be correctly represented. Mr. 

 Bliss gives some good advice to them, 

 which we hope will be heeded. 



Mr. Wm. Muth-Rasmussen, of In- 

 dependence, Cal., also writes as fol- 

 lows, in that paper : 



I have through the " Apiculturist," 

 as well as by private correspondence, 

 solicited reports for the National Con- 

 vention, from the bee-keepers of this 



State, and particularly from the sec- 

 retaries of tne various county associa- 

 tions, and have supplied many with 

 blank forms to be filled out, and re- 

 turned to me by the 15th of this 

 month. After waiting for seven days 

 over the appointed time. I closed rny 

 report, in order that it may reach the 

 President in time for the Convention. 



I have but a poor showing to make 

 for this State. Many, to whom 1 sent 

 blanks, have not responded, and others 

 were unable to obtain statistics. As 

 I could not answer each one individu- 

 ally, allow me liereby to thank those 

 who have sent me their reports. To 

 them, who have not responded, I can 

 only say that they stand in their own 

 light. We all know, that it has been 

 a poor honey season, but that is no 

 reason why not at least the number of 

 colonies of bees should be given, from 

 which an estimate might be formed 

 of the extent of the industry, and the 

 amount of honev and wax the State 

 is capable of producing in an ordinary 

 good season. 



I am disappointed at the lack of 

 interest shown in this matter. Cali- 

 fornia ought to stand as the banner- 

 State for bee-culture, even if it has it 

 occasional failures, and I doubt not 

 that her number of bee-keepers and 

 colonies of bees would far eclipse any 

 other State in the Union if the bee- 

 men would take pride enough in their 

 vocation to make a report of what 

 they have, and what they can do, when 

 Providence favors them. 



We need more light. We must keep 

 up with the times, or else take a back 

 seat. No bee-keeper can afford to be 

 without one or more bee papers, 

 through which he is posted on the 

 fluctuation in the price of his pro- 

 ducts. Improved bee-culture, al- 

 though of recent date, has already 

 reached such a point, that only he who 

 keeps abreast of the leaders can make 

 a success of it. The old fogies, who 

 are hanging on behind, will soon miss 

 their hold and drop off, to be replaced 

 with a more intelligent class. 



Thereupon the editor remarks as 

 follows : 



The reportof Mr. Muth-Rasmussen, 

 California's Vice President of the 

 National Bee- Keepers' Society, cer- 

 tainly does California a great injus- 

 tice. This is, however, no fault of 

 Mr. M., as will be seen from his ex- 

 planation in another column. Mr. 

 M. discharged his duty faithfully. No- 

 tices from nim to some of the secre- 

 taries of associations in other coun- 

 ties, passed through our hands and 

 were promptly forwarded. Owing to 

 the failure of the season, but little in- 

 terest has been taken by apiarists, 

 who do not leel like reporting blasted 

 hopes. The amount is probably not 

 more than about one-fourth as much 

 as should have been reported. It is 

 hoped that apiarists will see the im- 

 portance of making a correct report 

 hereafter, as it will enable the pro- 

 ducers to determine the best time for 

 marketing their honey and the price 

 to be realized for the same, and buy- 

 ers will know better what they can 

 afford to pay. Those who have been 

 actively engaged in collecting the 



honey statistics of the State, we trust 

 will be afforded greater facilities and 

 a more general interest taken in the 

 work when more reliable information 

 will be obtained. 



®"We have received Mr. D. A. 

 Jones' new Circular and Price List of 

 Bees and Apiarian Supplies. In this 

 pamphlet of 24 pages may be found 

 Mr. Jones' ideas upon Wintering Bees 

 in Bee Houses, cellars, clamps, chaff 

 and in dry goods boxes, packed. It is 

 beautifully illustrated, and makes a 

 handsome appearance. Mr. Jones is 

 one of the most extensive bee-keepers 

 in America, and has had much expe- 

 rience with bees. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Seasonable Hints. — The American 

 Agriculturist for November, contains 

 the following : 



A subscriber asks if sugar can be 

 safely fed to bees in winter. There is 

 no other food so good for bees as pure 

 sugar. The granulated form is best. 

 All bee-keepers that have fed this 

 sugar for winter stores are agreed that 

 it is even superior to honey for bees. 

 This is owing, doubtless, toils compo- 

 sition, as it contains more cane sugar, 

 and also to the absence of pollen, 

 which is to be found in all honey. 

 While pollen generally does no harm 

 to bees in winter, it is not good in 

 some cases and may be the cause of 

 fatal dysentery. Dissolve the sugar 

 for feeding in an equal bulk of water, 

 and heat until it boils, and when cold 

 it is ready to feed. 



It will be remembered that many 

 bees were lost during the winter of 

 1880-81, from neglect. They were 

 caught by the exceptionally early sea- 

 son. They need at least 30 pounds of 

 good food per hive, and they should 

 be crowded upon just enough frames 

 to contain them, by using division 

 boards. If the bees are to be packed, 

 this should be done as early as Oct. 

 1st, and if chaff hives are used, the 

 packing above and at the ends of the 

 frames should be added at the same 

 time. It is always best to have the 

 fine chaff or sawdust in siicks. How- 

 ever we winter, whether in chaff 

 hives, or in the common hives with 

 chaff packing, or in cellars, it will 

 always pay to pack above and at the 

 sides of the frames. The hives should 

 be put into the cellar as early as No- 

 vember 1st, before the severe weather 

 sets in. The hives should be dry when 

 set in, and, in the removal, disturb the 

 bees as little as possible. When in 

 the cellar, remove the tops of the 

 hives, but not the chaff pillow. The 

 entrance should be left open. 



