Bird or Pin Cherry—Rosacez (Rose family). Prunus pennsylvanica, All 
these flower in May. 
Barberry—(Oregon Grape) Berberidacee. (Barberry family). Berberis 
aquifolium and Berberis repens. 
Wild Red Raspberry—Rosacew. (Rose family). Rubus strigosus. 
Wild Black Raspberry—Rosacez. (Rose family). Rubus cccidentalis. 
All these flower in June. 
Dogbane—(Milk-weed) Apocynacee. (Dogbane family} Apocynum andro- 
semifolium (Spreading Dogbane). 
Snowberry— Caprifoliacez (Honeysuckle family) Symphoricarpos race- 
mcsus, 
Wolfberry— Caprifoliacez (Honeysuckle family) Symphoricarpos occi- 
dentalis. 
Canada Thistle—Composite (Composite family) Cirsium arvense. Ali 
these flower in June and July. 3 
Great Willow Herb or Fire-weed—Onagracee. (Evening Primrose family) 
Epilobium, (or Chamcenerion) angustifolium. é 
Golden Rod—Composite. (Composite family) Solidago canadensis etc, 
Flower in July and August, 
In localities principally devoted to the production cf fruit there are 
not nearly enough bees kept to ensure the pollination of the blossoms. 
The chief problems that have confronted the beekeepers in the Koot- 
enays have been difficulties in wintering, and in the control of swarming. 
The latter has often been contributory to the former. Excessive swarm- 
ing frequently caused by not providing the bees with sufficient hive room, 
and generally occurring during the short honey flows, peculiar to this 
region, has resulted in their being unable to store enough honey to winter 
on, so that they have died of starvation, unless fed with sugar syrup in 
the fall. The use of single-walled hives, with little or no additional pro- 
tection in winter, has als> been responsible for many of the losses that 
have been sustained. In some localities honey-dew, the excretion of: 
aphides, collected and stored in the combs by the bees, has been the main 
cause of winter fatalities. , 
As a rule the snow commences to fall early in November and remains 
on the groun1 until about the end cf the following March so that usually. 
the bees are confined to the hives for nearly five months. At some time 
however, during this period, there may come a warm wind, or “Chinook”, 
which, combined with brilliant sunshine, may raise the temperature for 
a few days to almcst summer heat. ‘When this occurs it is liable to bring 
the bees out of the hives prematurely with the result that thousands of 
them alight on the soft snow, become chilled, ani are not able to get 
back again. Under such circumstances the bees are not so likely to fly 
from hives that are well insulated, as they are from hives not well protect- 
ed, as the inside temperature does n<ct warm up so quickly, and cause 
them to become restless. 
The bees kept in the Kootenays ‘are mostly pure Italians. This race 
does so remarkably well here that it would seem a pity to introduce any 
‘other, except in is-lated districts for purposes of experiment. These bees 
are well suited for beginners as they are very quiet under manipulation, 
not much inclined to use their stings, and therefore easy to handle. The 
queens are so very prolific that there is no trouble in making increase. 
During the years 1916 and 1917 a considerable number of combless two- 
pound packages, including queens, of this race were shipped in fr:m the 
SS 
