June 13, 1901. 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



373 



to modify the old notion. But as we all know, the mule is 

 infertile. It was then stated that only animals that would 

 interbreed and the offspriiif,'- prove fertile belong to the 

 same species. I think this is pretty generally true among 

 the higher animals. But I think there are numerous excep- 

 tions among the lower plants and animals. I think there 

 are cases on record where different genera interbreed, and 

 the offspring are fertile. Of course, such cases are very 

 rare. 



As we understand from the above, the nature of a 

 genus and a species, which may be better understood by 

 comparing them to our own names, the genus standing 

 for our surname, and the species for the given name, we 

 are now prepared to discuss the change of name in the 

 honey-bee. This change of names, not only of insects but 

 of all plants and animals, is very common. I know of 

 some insects where the names have been changed two, 

 three, or even four times during the last few years. It 

 comes about in this way : 



Two or more persons describe the same insect or other 

 animal. Of course only one of these names can be selected. 

 It has been decided that only the first name should be 

 adopted. It is unfortunately true that sometimes the first 

 name and description appeared in some obscure publication 

 and were for a longtime unknown. Therefore the second, 

 third, or even fourth name was for a long time used in 

 speaking of the insect. After a time, it may be for years, 

 some one discovers the name and description, given third in 

 order, we will say. Of course the old name gives place to 

 this. Afterwards the second one may replace this, and 

 finally the first and rightful name is unearthed and mani- 

 festly this takes precedence of all others. It is obvious 

 that this frequent changing of names is a great hindrance 

 to science, and a tremendous annoyance to the student ; 

 yet it is certainly the lesser of two evils. 



It is now stoutly urged that every first description of 

 an animal, where, of course, the name will be given, be 

 published only in some standard scientific paper that every 

 student of the science may have ready access to it, and 

 may know of its existence. It is also equally important 

 that every person in naming an insect and describing it 

 take all possible diligence to make sure that the same 

 species has not been previously described. 



The father of this system of naming, who may almost 

 be said to be the father of both botany and zoology — Lin- 

 nseus — was the first to describe our honey-bee. He described 

 it as Apis mellifera, and so, of course, this name has pri- 

 ority and must be accepted. Three years later, he described 

 the same insect again under the name Apis mellifica, the 

 name which has been used ever since. It is strange that 

 the same person should describe the same insect twice under 

 the same name, yet when we remember the amount of 

 work Linnieus did, and the astounding number of descrip- 

 tions he made, it is not strange that he should have forgot- 

 ten that he had made a description, and so should have 

 named and described the same animal or insect a second 

 time. 



It is to be hoped that all our bee-papers as well as 

 writers, will make a point of bringing this new name 

 prominently forward, that very soon it may seem as right 

 and natural as the old one. We are certainly fortunate in 

 the name, which means honey-bearing. This name, then, 

 will suit those nervous people who proclaim in the face of 

 the truth that the bee simply gathers honey and does not 

 produce it. Neither is the truth maligned in this new 

 name, for although honey is certainly a digested product, 

 and so is produced by the bee, we can still say that the 

 honey-bee is a honey-bearing insect. 



So hereafter we will all unite in the name Apis mellif- 

 era for our pets of the hive. Los Angeles Co., Calif. 



The Swarthmore System of Queen-Rearing. 



BY "SWAKTH.MOKE." 



A(iREAT deal has been written, said and done to sim- 

 plify and cheapen methods for cell-getting, until now 

 queen-breeders have about all that can be desired in an 

 almost perfect system of cell-work, from the egg to the 

 mature queen, her care after hatching, and all that. But 

 cell-getting is not the espetisive part of queen-rearing ; in 

 fact, it does not represent an eighth part of the work con- 

 nected with the securing of a laying queen, ready for post- 

 ing to the customer far or near. 



The great expense in (luecn-rearing is that necessary 

 for the proper fertilization of the young queens after they 



are reared. The queen-breeder, heretofore, has been obliged 

 to tear asunder large numbers of full colonies to form 

 nuclei of a frame or two each to receive the young queens, 

 each in a seperate colony for mating purposes only. 



Now. all this is expensive— not alone in bees but in 

 time, labor, care, and a hundred other ways. Full colonies 

 are ruined, and all revenue from bees thus treated is entirely 

 cut off until a laying queen is secured, sold, caged and 

 mailed. All this woeful waste has set me to thinking 

 about a plan of operation to lessen the expense and labor 

 in queen-rearing at the mating period. 



Some years ago I succeeded in mating a number of 

 queens from 4'4x4'4 section-boxes, each supplied with a 

 teacupful of bees ; but not until the past season have I 

 been able to say that I have discovered a practical method 

 of mating young queens by the section-box plan, although 

 I have used them now for about 13 years. 



The plan I have at last adopted is as follows : Hive a 

 good-sized swarm (natural or forced) into a body containing 

 ten all-wood or Simplicity frames, each frame filled with 

 4'4s5-3Xl inch one-piece plain sections, thus: 



FRAME WITH FOUNDATION. 



Each section should be supplied with a starter of brood- 

 foundation, as shown, and the frames are set rather close 

 together until fully drawn out by the bees. Unless honey 

 is coming in rapidly the bees should be fed constantly dur- 

 ing comb-construction, in the event of the swarm being 

 a forced one. 



In a few days a good, prolific queen will have filled the 

 most of these little combs with eggs, and in due time it 

 will be found that each little comb has its supply of brood, 

 honey, and bee-bread — the exact condition necessary for 

 the successful formation of nuclei for queen-fertilization. 



At this point take away all the section-holding frames, 

 supplementing them with full sheets of capped brood, 

 honey, etc., taken from other colonies ; put on the surplus 

 arrangement, and close the hive. That colony will yet 

 show you honey before the end of the season ; even though 

 you have borrowed every particle of their work from the 

 time of hiving. Let them work on ; you will not need to 

 molest them more. 



Remove the section-holding frames now clear of bees, 

 just as taken from the hive, to the honey-house, and adjust 



TOP OF FERTILIZER NUCLEUS-BO.X. 



A, lid; U, section box frame; C C C C, hive-staples, for guidao 

 D, perforaleU zioc; F, cork in fli^lit-taole. 



