Bee Keeping in the Interior of 

 British Columbia 



■ Beekeeping- is practically a new -industry in the Interior of British 

 'Columbia, which is making good progress, and is capable of consider- 

 able expansion. In most of the best districts for honey production, 

 even where ibeekeepers are already located, there is likely to be plenty 

 of room for more colonies for some time to come, and there are 

 many excellent locations where no bees are, at present kejit at all. The 

 honey produced, wliich is nearly all extracted honey, is in popular fa- 

 vor, and the demand is increasing, as it is superior to most that is Im- 

 ported. It may be described as a nice attractive honey, of uniformly 

 good quality, usually light amber in color, and of delicate flavor^ so 

 that it is capable of holding its own,, either in^ home or distant markets. 

 With suitable management a paying crop can, as a general rule, be 

 depended on every season. White Dutch Clover (Triiolium repens) 

 which now grows wild, and in great profusion, in many places, is one 

 of the main sources of production, and it is surprising how rapidly it 

 becomes established and spreads, after the ' forest trees have been 

 cut down. This is more particularly ijoticeable where cattle are rang- 

 ing, as they help to keep down the ranker vegetation, and also act as 

 distributors of the ssed. In some localities, Aslike Clover (Trifolium 

 hybrldum) is, being cultivated to a greater extent than formerly, and is 

 also spreading naturally in the same manner " as White Clover. As 

 Alsike Clover is considered, to stand at the head of all other plantg, in 

 the production of honey, this will be of benefit to the 'beekeepers. 

 Alsike succeeds better than Red Clover, where there is an excess of; 

 moisture, or, acidity in the soil, or a deficiency of lime. Red Clover, 

 largely gTown_ for ploughing in, unfortunately does not help the bee- 

 keepers very much as the tongues of hive-bees are not> sufficiently long 

 to reach the nectar secreted by the blossoms, unless the latter become 

 dwarfed by drought, or by flowering the second time. / Experiments 

 have been made in, some places in growing the biennial Bokhara Clover, 

 generally known as. White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba) which yields 

 honey freely over a long period. Inoculation, the same culture as for 

 alfalfa, and a hard seed bed, are usually necessary to get it started. 

 It will grow on any soil except "that which is water-logged. An annual- 

 white variety has been lately ' introduced and may prove valuable. 

 There are extensive areas of the biennial yellow Sweet Clover in the 

 Shuswap and Thompson Valley district. Alfalfa yields honey in the ir- 

 rigated districts. The Siberian yellow flowered ' Alfalfa (Medicago 

 falcata) which has the reputation of being a dry land Alfalfa, very 

 hardy, and a good honey and pasture plant, is being tested in the Dry 

 Belt; Hairy Vetch, largely used as a cover crop in the fruit growing 

 ' districts, yields quantities of honey of good quality. 



In some localities, the wild flowers yield a somewhat large propor- 

 tion of the honey. The most important of these are the common Dan- 

 delion (Taraxacum officinale) (introduced), and the Bearberry (Arc- 

 tostaphylos Uva-ursi) early in the season, and later on, during July 

 and August, Spreading Dogbane, commonly known as Milk-weed 

 (Apocynum androsaemifolium). Snow-berry bush (Symphoricarpos 

 racemosus), Wolf-berry bush (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), and the 

 Great Willow Herb, usually known as Fire-weed (Bpilobium angusti- 

 folium). There are also Wild Raspberries growing in abundanc^ in 

 many places. 



