The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-07

rainfall OF over &c inches, the yield of
honey was the greatest ever known in Cali
fornia. many apaTies averaging more than
COO pounds Of extracted honey to the hive.
In tn following year there was a reverse
state OF affairs. Less than five inches of rain
fell, and no honey was produced In Southern
California. but thousands of stands of bees
persisted for want of feed. Since then the
seasons have varied from poor to very good.
Last year was only about half a crop, and
this season, which is just commencing,
promises TO be the poorest since 1884, al
though there may be a fall flow that will
bring mp the total yield. but that Is doubt
fuL On the whole. however, the bee
keepers of Southern California have done
remarkably well. making exceedingly large
profits considering the small amount of
capital and labor required IN the business.
Southern California at present produces
four fifths of the total honey product of the
State. the principal hOneyprOduciDg coun-
ties being San Diego, Los Angeles. San
Bernsrdno. Ventura, Orange and Santa
Barbara. Honey could be successfully pro-
duced in most of the counties of the State.
Climatic conditions control the honey bust
ness more than any other industry, the
inland foothlll regions being better than
the neighboThoOd of the seacoast. There
are stretches along the Sierra Nevada, in
Central and Northern California. which are
excellrntly adapted to DECREASING. AT
present the chief bee sections north IF
Tehachipa are around Placervile and
Grizzly Flats There are also number OF
beemen IN the neiEhborhood Of Bakersfield
and MERGED.
Many Of the old bee rancho; in
sold and transformed into orchards.
the bee men moving farther back
into the mountains. BeekeeDers now gen.
orally select location near the mouth of
mountain canyon with hill land in the rear,
so that there will be no lack of feed should
the level land be cultivated and planted TO
crops which do not yield nectar. A prime
requisite is a good supply of pure water.
The beekeeDer need have no more level land
than he requires for garden patch or family
orchard. Bees Will 20 five miles for food but
will not work to good advantage at dis
lance Of more than three miles from the
hive. This gives an area of Sc square
miles for feeding ground, which is
considered sufficient for colony of 800
hives, the largest number that can be profit
ably kept on one range.
The happy California bee finds no trouble
in its effort TO improve each shining hour"
there being thousands OF wild flowers.
shrubs and trees TO select from, some of
which are in bloom during every month of
the year. Perha,s after a time our bees
will give up their inactive season from fail
TO spring and gather honey all the wear
round. At present, however, the California
bee, like its brethren In other parts OF the
world, wisely believes in q season of COM
parative rest. Foremost among the nectar
producing trees Of California are the oak.
sycamore, water-alder, willow and manZa-
nita. Among shrubs are the sumac.
yerba santa. buckhorn, wild plum, wild
buckwheat. black, white and silver
sage California white sage honey is noted
throughout the world. All our honey is
shipped under that name. although, as
fact, the white sage is an unreliable plant
and sometimes blossoms very sparingly.
Honey made from the white sage, when I'M
m Tvs Wi IN nj To- inc har nj fc
does not granulate with age or extreme
cold, simply becoming thick and sticky. II
is very white and OF exquisite flavor. The
citrus famlly-orange, lemon and lime
furnish nnequaled nectar, but 1t is chiefly
produced at time when bees are rearing
young, and most OF 1t is con-
sumed in the hive. The different
varieties Of acacia produce nectar.
Alfalfa furnishes good pasturage, the noun
tain variety especially yielding light,
amber-colored honey of fine flavor. The
flowers of deciduous fruit trees aud berries
all furnish good quality Of honey. The
eucalyptus or blue gum blossom Is very ricn
IN nectar, and honey made from it has the
name OF containing valuable medicinal
qualities An Engl lshman in Queensland,
Australia, is turning his attention to the
raising of this honey for the market on
large scale. Finally, there are the myriad
oil Wild flowers, to enumerate which would
require column OF space. The California
y,
cept In some such exceptionally dry year as
that OF 1877, and that risk lessons every
year. rs orchards and alfalfa patches are
extended toward the mountains.
In bulletin issued last year by Director
iilgard OF tue University of California
mention is made of v aste land forage
plant that is said TO be a wonderful honey
plant for bees. Ii is described as green
shrub or little bush, which grows sponta-
neously to height Of Is inches or two feet.
Cattle and hogs are very fond of il, while
horses and mules do not seem to like if.
The plant has long tap root, taking
possession of waste places and wild lands,
apparently preferring hard clay or rocky
land, III the seed is merely scattered on
the bills in a few years IL will cover the
whole surface. In the meantime pasturing
will not hurt ii. 1t requires no irrigation
whatever and certainly appears to be
worthy OF trial by bee men and others.
For many years there was bitter dispute
between bee men and horticultursts as to
whether bees did or aid not injure fruit.
Even now there are some fruit-growers who
cling to the belief that they do There is,
however. not the slightest foundation for
such charge against the busy bee The
United States Agricultural Department Is
authority for the statement that bees do not
crack the skin of fruit. Any one can prove
tins for himself by putting fruit with I'M
broken skin where bees can get at it and
can get no other food. Bees follow the
Dlueiay. liunet and Wasn and fasd IN