The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-12
Agriculture
and
~
Horticulture.

The following items concerning Pa
cific Coast agriculture and horticulture
will doubtless prove of general interest
HONEY IN CALIFORNIA.
Professor A. J. Cook in American Bee
Journal: AS is well known, California
has two marked peculiarities as hon.
ey producing State. First the immense
crops of honey in certain years. and,
secondly, the numerous years when 10
honey is produced at all. or at least hit
tie more than enough to keep the bees.
Since came to the State. in 1854, each
alternate year has been visited with a
drought, and no honey was produced
at all. The other years have not only
produced honey, but the crops have
been enormous The fact that drought
is surely followed with a dearth Of nee
tar secretion is so well understood that
if we get very much below the average
rainfall the bee keepers themselves are
entirely respondent and count on no
crop at all.
The present season bids fair to bring
two seasons of no honey production in
succession. 1t has generally been
thought here in this region that fifteen
erageTwas necessary for a crop of
honey. Anything below that would re-
suit in a diminished crop, and if very
much below, in no crop at all. Last
year the flow of rain was just about
one-half the average. and except for a
short time in early spring, very little
honey was stored. The rainfall the
present season-unless we get little
more--is hardly up to that Of last. Yet
I think We cannot judge correctly OF
the present year from our experience
of a year ago. The present season all
the rains that have come have been
when most needed, and have come in
such gentle mood that every drop has
been utilized. IT is certain that the
grain crop this year about here will be
much better than that Of last year. 1t
is possible that nectar secretion will
also be different.
The first year came to California
1S94-we had a small rainfall, which
was well distributed through the sea-
son. / taught the botany that year, and
was close student of the flora. Ihere
was a well marked and continuous sue
cession of flowers from the early spring
beauty as I should call it-Gilia dian
thorides-to the host of composite flow
ers which appeared from July on. From
my study since I judge the succession
that year was well nigh typical. The
three following years, one OF drought
and two of good rain supply, showed
a succession of flowers much the same
as that of 1884.
Last year, 1898, the early spring was
exceedingly dry. The flowers came
very early and in scant numbers. /
despaired having enough for class use;
but in early April. as my work COM
menced, a copious rain came with 1t,
and 1 found that the early flowers came
again, and so with a little more trouble
to visit the canyons we had no dlffl-
Guilty in finding all the flowers we
needed for our class use; indeed, the
range in number quite equaled that OF
any previous year.
This year we have a season much
different from any of the previous ones.
The flowers seem to be punched, the
early ones coming late and the late
ones coming forth early. The beautiful
Gilia. already mentioned, and the shoot
ing stars, are fully a month later than
in any of the previous years, while the
black sage is full of bloom for weeks
before it's usual time. These show thai
this season is quite different from-any
that we have had before. Is it pos
sible. then. to correctly judge of what
the season may bring forth in the way
CT growth, vigor and, may we not add.
nectar secretion?
While / fear that the bee keepers viii
be disappointed again this year in not
securing crop in this region, / am not
at all sure that such will be the case.
/ find the bees now busy on the black
sage and the just opening white, as
we'll as on many other flowers, and so
far as 1 can judge they seem to be get
ting not a little honey. A week ago l
met J. H. Martin and found him quite
hopeful of the honey crop the present
season. / think that most bee keepers
would not sympathize with him in this
feeling.
Several of the largest apiarists of
Ventura County have moved their bees
to the region of the alfalfa fields in the
San Joaquin Valley. They expect, not
without reason, not only to get enough
money to sustain the bees, but also
hope for some surplus besides. 1t seems
more than likely that this is a very
wise course, and yet. if we should have
q partial crop here it might pay better
to keep the bees ait home as the ex-
pense of moving is by no means trif1e.
A NEW STORAGE PLANT.
Gridley Herald: A farmer of this vi
cinity is experimenting with a new
forage plant, which he thinks, for prac-
teal results in the way of supplying
pasture, will discount alfalfa The
plant he is endeavoring to propagate is
the malRow, known to botanists as
Malvaceae. Sidalcea, of which there are
many species native to California. The
species he has, is, We think from a
cursory analysis, the Calycosa or AS
prella The plant is perennial, and
grows best in moist rich soil 1t is
eaten with relish by all kinds of stock,
and makes a rapid growth. An analy-
sis for nutritive properties would do