A. AND M. COLLEGE APIARY. 13 



opment. A careful estimate shows also that at least 90 per cent, of the 

 bee keepers of the State are not practicing up-to-date or modem methods 

 of bee keeping, thereby getting less than one-half of the possible amount 

 of honey from the colonies already on hand. 



Expert bee keepers find it very difficult to secure competent labor in 

 their apiaries. For the purpose of supplying this want, and for educating 

 the bee keepers and farmers in general, a complete set of apparatus has 

 been provided at the College for giving instruction, not only to students 

 of the institution, but to such bee keepers and farmers at large as may 

 desire to acquaint themselves with modern methods or increase their 

 present working knowledge along apicultural lines. 



Some of the possibilities of honey production in Texas may be better 

 understood from a study of Uvalde county, which is practically the only 

 county in which bee keeping has been developed to anything like its pos- 

 sible extent. In this country and immediately adjoining, according to 

 Mr. J. K. Hill, of Uvalde, there are located about fifteen thousand col- 

 onies of bees, representing, with apparatus and fixtures used in their 

 care, an investment of at least $120,000. In average seasons, under com- 

 petent management, these colonies yield from 100 to 220 pounds of honey 

 each. Aside from the honey sold and consumed locally, there is shipped 

 from Uvalde annually an average of 546,000 pounds, representing from 

 $54,000 to $60,000. There are in Southwest Texas at least thirty coun- 

 ties that would, if properly developed, equal or exceed this yield. In 

 addition to this there is valuable honey-producing territory along the 

 Colorado, Guadalupe, Brazos, Trinity and Sabine rivers that is as yet 

 almost totally unoccupied. The entire East Texas territory, some parts 

 of North Texas, as also the timber belts, are promising for future devel- 

 opment. 



Nor should we be content with the money value of the wax and honey 

 produced in the State, or that money represents the value of bee culture 

 to the commonwealth at large. He who would raise fruits of any descrip- 

 tion must depend upon insects for pollenation of the fruit bloom. While 

 there are many native insects that take part in this work, there are none 

 which do it as rapidly or effectually as the honey bee. It has long since 

 been demonstrated that it is to the interest of the fruit grower to make 

 conditions as favorable as possible for the bees and bee keepers in his 

 locality. The service rendered to the fruit industry, and the greatly 

 increased fruit production resulting therefrom cannot be estimated in 

 dollars and cents. The idea, prevalent in some localities, that bees will 

 injure growing or ripening fruits, is entirely without foundation. As a 

 matter of fact, the mouth parts and honey-gathering apparatus of the 

 bee are of such a nature that puncturing or biting the skin of any fruit, 

 no matter how tender, is an absolute impossibility. When fruit has been 

 damaged from any cause, the bees will frequently be seen sipping up the 

 juice that exudes, and this has doubtless given origin to the popular fal- 

 lacy mentioned above. In Central Texas the growing of alfalfa is being 

 recognized as an important industry, ' and in the development of the 

 State it is certain that many localities peculiarly adapted to this plant 

 will be devoted largely or exclusively to its culture. Alfalfa cannot be 

 raised without seed, and alfalfa seed cannot be produced unless the honey 

 bee is present to fertilize the alfalfa blossoms. Thus we see that what 

 in the future promises to be a most important and extensive industry, as 



