He little dreamt, when he set out, 
Of running such a rig. 
—W. Cowper 
VIII 
JOY RIDING WITH BEES 
ALIFORNIA, often called the “beekeepers’ 
El Dorado,” is one of the greatest honey pro¬ 
ducing states in the Union. “Big” beekeepers speak 
of their crops in terms of tons and carload lots. Yet, 
nothwithstanding its almost perpetual sunshine, 
California is not covered with flowers from one 
year’s end to the next. 
The wild flowers in un-irrigated sections of the 
state burst into bloom after the rains. Then for the 
rest of the year the land is brown and dry. In irri¬ 
gated parts it is a different matter. 
But California’s largest and best honey crops come 
from both the irrigated orange ranches and the great 
unirrigated growth of wild sage in the foothills. 
Some content themselves with a crop from one source 
alone; other more enterprising honey producers 
move their bees to the sage “locations” after the 
honey flow in the orange groves has ceased. A thou¬ 
sand hives may be moved from fifty to one hun¬ 
dred miles in order that the bees may continue work 
84 
