August, '16] GATES: BEEKEEPING IN MASSACHUSETTS 417 



Since insect behavior is not an important part of most courses in 

 entomology, there is good reason for giving this phase of bee life more 

 than ordinary emphasis. This is especially desirable in view of the 

 fundamental necessity of such knowledge to the beekeeper. It is far 

 more difficult to outline laboratory work in behavior than in anatomy, 

 but the teacher of beekeeping has the accumulated material from ex- 

 perience and investigation to suggest work of this character. A serious 

 difficulty is that your courses do not all run into the summer, but the 

 winter cluster, the brood diseases, the development and care of the 

 brood, wax secretion, effects of accumulated feces, responses to changes 

 in temperature, light and humidity are all readily studied even in 

 mid-winter. Since the wintering problem is the most serious one 

 which confronts the beekeeper you are justified in giving this much 

 attention. The greatest possible amount of manipulation of bees 

 should be provided, even though you sacrifice colonies for this pur- 

 pose. Then one or two periods may profitably be devoted to the 

 study of apparatus and by the time these things are covered it will 

 usually be time for outdoor work, assuming that the course begins in 

 mid-winter. 



It may reasonably be assumed that my suggestions are instigated 

 by a feeling that all the beekeeping courses are not up to the standard 

 that I would set. While I have not had experience in teaching bee- 

 keeping, I nevertheless feel that by cooperation the present defects 

 may be remedied. Several rather surprising experiences with former 

 students of beekeeping in various sections of the country have induced 

 me to say what I have said, but I prefer that my criticisms be taken 

 as general, not specific. I trust that this first conference will be a 

 step toward correcting deficiencies. 



THE BEEKEEPING WORK IN MASSACHUSETTS ^ 



By Burton N. Gates, Associate Professor of Beekeeping, Massachusetts Agricultural 



College, Amherst 



1. Investigation, under the Massachusetts ^Agricultural College 



Experiment Station. 

 Experiments and investigation, theoretical and practical, are being 

 carried on concerning bee diseases, color vision of bees, wintering and 

 beeswax, together with minor investigations in other lines. 



2. College Instruction 



Two courses are offered regularly enrolled, four-year students. 



Entomology 8, Beekeeping, two lectures and one laboratory weekl}- 

 during the second semester. Elective, primarily for juniors but open 

 to seniors. A text-book has not been assigned. 



1 Virtually an outline of the paper as presented. 



