Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12

PuzZling as have been the many
problems having to do with the local
fauna (starlings, dogs. sheep, cock
have of late confronted Washington
municipal authorities, they have been
fortunate thus far to have escaped the
bee problem, such as is now engaging
the best legal minds OF our neighboring
city of Baltimore.
1t seems that in Baltimore there is a
gentleman who keeps bees at his home,
and his neighbors complain that a
beehive is honey factory, and that 1t
is illegal to carry on manufacturing in
district zoned for residential uses. A
writ either has been or will be served
on the gentleman to show cause why
he should not be compelled either to
part with his bees or else move to an
industrial zone, and the lawyers are
busy in the libraries of nights girding
for the fray.
Bees Not Mentioned.
What will happen should a similar
problem ever arise in our own fair city
is something clothed in the mists OF
legal uncertainty. Our coming ordi-
nances do not mention bees. The Dis.
trict Code, the Police Regulations and
on this important subject.
The potentialities for a bee problem
in Washington are practically unlimit-
ed. The bee culture section of the
Bureau of Entomology of the Depart
ment of Agriculture estimates that
there are about so ap.arists in the Dis
trict, tending an average OF 20 colonies
apiece, or total of 1000 colonies. A
colony contains from 1000 to 5000
kIaa ;nh roln1l1a 70
may see at glance that there are
1000, 900 to 100000 bees buzzing
around the vicinage, and none of them
paving any attention to the dividing
line between residential and industrial
zones.
No Record Of Complaints.
The bureau itself maintains 10 col
onies just across the District line from
Chevy Chase. and when the interstate
traffic Is added to the home talent the
aggregate possibilities for trouble sim
ply stagger the imagination.
Still there is no record OF any COM
plants against the keepers of the bees
| in our midst The attitude of our citi-
zens seems to be that SO long as the
bees stick to the manufacture, whether
legal or Illegal. they are unob1ection-
able. 1t is only when the bees quiz
! THESE pSdCSIui 81 AAA
the warfare for which they are so well
equipped that litigation threatens.
1t is a nice question whether the bees
could be zoned out Of residential sec
lions. The regulations allow in such
! sections dwellings. apartments, hotels,
lodging or boarding houses, private
clubs and fraternity houses. educational
institutions, farms. truck gardens
nurseries, private stables and garages,
under any of which there might be
plausible argument for including bee
hive. Furthermore under paragraph Ii
the Commissioners may issue permits
| for the erection or alteration in the
residential districts of buildings for COM
merce or industry, where such buildings
are incidental to residential develop
ment."
Cause of Much Litigation.
The District Code offers no help. Its
index Jumps from bearer" to bella
donna Similarly with the Police
Regulations, where the Jump Is from
"beanshooters" to "beeves." and the
Police Manual where there is nothing
between "batons" and "bsggars and
mendicants.'
Nevertheless these industrious crea-
lures have been the cause of much
litigation, most of 1t being found under
the head of the law on "actionable
nuisances." For instance, where de-
PENDANTS had maintained, and were
still maintaining, q large number OF
hives of bees, kept In an open lot I'M
mediately adjoining plaintn1s dWellhg