Gilpin observer., 1902-07-10
coIorado's Honey Resources.

Among the interesting figures at tho
annual convention of the National As-l
sociation of Beekeepers in Denver in
September, says the Denver News, will
be w. Y. Hutchinson of Flint, Michi-
gan, editor of the Beekeepers' Review.
Mr.. Hutchinson visited Colorado last
fall and studied the development of the
bee industry in this state. In re-
cent article on the characteristics and
resources of Colorado as a honey pro-
iucing state, Mr. Hutchinson says:
within a few years the bulk Of the
honey crop of this country will be pro-
ducest west of the Mississippi river.
This part of the country is progress
ing and developing at rate of which
eastern people have but a faint con-
ception. Those who look upon this
country as the land of burning sun,
of shifting sands, coyotes and cacti
will do well to lay aside that delusion.
The explanation of this wonderful
change can be given in n single word;
the key that has unlocked the great
agricultural wealth of the West, Is
water.
LAS the alfalfa follows irrigation, so
does the beekeeper follow the alfalfa;
and he follows it pretty closely, too.
Without alfalfa, or sweet clover. which
has followed the bitches and the rail-
roads pretty closely. profitable bee
keeping would be well nigh impossible
in Colorado. AS it is, it will be seen
that it is confined to narro% belts and
patches near the mountains and
streams-it Is not spread all over the
country as in the East. But, in these
favored spots. where there is alfalfa,
sweet clover and cleome may be found
the beekeepers' paradise. Think of
having honey flow lasting ninety-one
days! This Is unusual, but seventy
five days is not. The yield Is never
enormous. as 1t sometimes is from
basswood but 1t can be depended up
on. day after day. week after week and
month after month-no rains and no
drouth to interfere. This country Is
decidedly the home of the specialist.
Men are In the business as business.
They hold up their heads. and talk
and act business. There is no talk
here about "monkeying with bees" 1t
is looked upon as legitimate
business. Sit down by the
side of plain, common
looking man: ask him how many colo
dies he keeps; it is always In the
nundreds-300 or 400 or 500. Ask him
about his crop and 1t Is seldom given
IA tuC thousduus Va POuhus, as III tue
East, but by the carload-one carload
Or two carloads.
1T has been reported that Colorado
is overstocked with bees. This Is true
of some localities. The trouble Is that
beekeepers are inclined to locate in
something the same way as they mar
ket their product-all rush into some
central point. At one time 1t was esti-
mated that there were $4,000 colonies
in Boulder county alone, but since then
foul brood has played fearful havoc
sweeping away whole apiaries. Colo
RADIO now has foul brood law. with
an inspector and assistants, IL neces-
sary, in each county, and much Is be-
ing done to get the disease under sub
lection. The beekeepers of Colorado,
like those Of other states, are not op-
posed to the coming OF beekeeper
who intends to make his home among
them, and who will take pains to To-
cate in unoccupled territory--ln fact,
they will help him to so locate. The
more the better, SO long as they don't
crowd" That to which they do OBJ
ject. however. Is when an outsider
ships In a carload OF bees aud planta
them down upon occupied territory.