Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-06-02
The San Diego Honey Interest.

Dana G. Pearson, correspondent OF
the Resources of California, has lately
been examining the honey interest of
San Diego. He writes as follows:
From Mr.. ]. s.. HARRISON, the pio-
neer bee man of Southern California,
and probably the most scientific and
best apiarian in the country, we gath
cred the following facts: He took the
first bees into this county in the Fall
of 1860, and the last six years have de-
veloped this important industry to an
almost incredible extent. One year
ago we reported the number of stands
in the county at 10000. Now there
are, to begin this very promising sea-
son with, not less than IA, 600 hives of
bees in the county. After getting
back twenty to thirty miles from the
coast the country is quite broken and
hilly, approaching to mountainous,
almost every ravine affording little
stream; the hills are covered with
bushes loaded with blossoms much of
the time, and the whole country il
covered with white sage-the best bee
feed in the world. From this line
back tor sixty miles or more, the bee
men have settled in every little nook
where water and other facilities are
afforded to establish an apiary, and
this is soon to become the greatest
honey producing section, perhaps, in
the world. The honey produced here
excels all other found in Eastern or
Western markets, being clearer and
more beautiful in appearance, and
freer from that harsh, strong taste usu-
ally experienced IN eating this luxury
of our table. The propagation IF bees
here is wonderful. If left to them
selves and facilities afforded they will
increase ro an incredible extent. We
have heard of eight stands increasing
to eighty-one, and another case of five
stands increasing to fifty -four in one
season. Mr.. Chas. Fox, in the city,
said to US: "About seventeen months
ago selected a nice place, fifty miles
from here, for my apiary. had sixty
stands of bees, and although a poor
year realized four and one-half tons
-8, 100 pounds-from them. expect
ten tons this year from my apiary.
When l located there were only two
families within four miles of me, now
our neighborhood contains twelve
families-in all eighty people. We
expect to sell $4,000 worth of honey
from our apiaries this year,
Mr.. w. j. Clark of Poway Valley
realized from one stand of italian bees
in the improved HARRISON hive, three
and one-f0urth cases of comb honey
23S pounds, and 48 pounds of strained
honey. Total number of pounds, 2S6,
which he sold for $39.06.
Mr.. HARRISON, in 1874, sold IS tons
$4,000 pounds--of honey from 500
stands. He has shipped in one season
eight car loads to Chicago. Last year
was poor honey year, and he turned
his attention to propagating scientific
ally. He has for six years been study
ing how to control the swarmIng of
his bees, to prevent the increase when
he wishes to, and he believes he has
succeeded. He has patented his theo-
ry and has full confidence in his sue
cess, adding so much to science and
practical art in this great and growing
industry. This has cost him 81, 900.
If this industry offered nothing
more than to furnish snug little
homes, as it does, for hundreds of
families, with usually rich garden
spot and a little fruit orchard, it is
important, but in addition to this
their apiaries are very profitable. Mr..
HARRISON has six apiaries, numbering
1000 hives Of bees. He has consider
able land at each place. AT his Sweet
water apiary he has $50 acres. He is
there farming 80 acres. He farms in
all 200 acres. He has 800 fruit trees
planted. His young trees last year
made a growth of six to eight feet.
The honey product of this county in
1875 "a poor year, was 52S, 800 pounds
as near as we could ascertain from the
shipping books and other sources
Mr.. w. w. Stewart, President OF
the Chamber of Commerce, puts 1t al
$50, 900 pounds.