1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



385 



when laid by the queen, were indifferently alike, 

 whether deposited in a drone or a worker cell, 

 and that the subf<equent trcatinent and the dif- 

 ference in the size of the cell determined what 

 the sex shall be; just as the larger cell and mode 

 of treatment determines what germs shall de- 

 velop into queens. So with this belief; Task 

 whether, if a fresh-laid egg be taken from a 

 worker-cell, and put into an empty drone-cell, 

 it will not bring a drone product, if it be treat- 

 ed by the bees as a prospective drone. You are 

 aware that, in vegetable life, there is a certain 

 period in which the bud may change from a 

 flowtu- bud to a leaf-bud. this modification being 

 dependent upon the circum!^tance of nourish- 

 ment. The function of sex in the lower forms 

 of life is one not very rigidly determined, and 

 subject to ready modification. The subject is 

 very learnedly and exhaustively treated in the 

 "Evolution of Sex," by Prof. Geddes and J. 

 Arthur Thomson. C. H. Murray. 



Elkhart, Ind., April 20. 



[Dr. Miller replies:] 



Some of the veterans may think it a little 

 strange to take up a subji'ct that they suppose 

 so well understood for the last thirty years. 

 But I am a little suspicious that, at the present 

 day, the theory as to som(^ things in bee-keep- 

 ing is not so well understood by the average 

 bee-keeper as it was a quarter of a century ago. 

 At that time the Dzierzon theory was compara- 

 tively new. and had bt en tlioroughly discussed 

 In the American Bee Journal. And I may say 

 here that it is a seriou-< mistake to suppose that 

 the theory mentioned is a matter of no practi- 

 cal consequence. The man who would succeed 

 as a practical bee-keeper will do well to be post- 

 ed in it. 



Friend M. says: " I had always supposed that 

 the germs, or eggs, when laid by the queen, 

 were indifferently alike, whether deposited in a 

 drone or a worker cell, and that the subsequent 

 treatment and the difference in the size of the 

 cell determined what the sex shall be." I think 

 it quite possible that such a belief is not very 

 uncommon at the present day. I will try to 

 occupy but little space in giving what is under- 

 stood by good authorities to be the truth in the 

 case. If it be said that I give nothing new, and 

 that such truths ought to be obtained from the 

 A B C or other standard works, I reply that 

 there are many who have not read such works, 

 and probably will not; that they may get the 

 truth here, and that it may have a little influ- 

 ence iu iiiducins them to make further search 

 in the riuht plac. 



The eggs, as they leave the ovary of the 

 queen, are all alike. At the time of the fecun- 

 dation of the queen, the semen of thi> drone is 

 received into the spermatheca of the queen, 

 where it is stored, ready to be used as occasion 

 requires, throughout her lifetime. Millions of 

 spermatozoa are thu^^ stored in thespermatheca. 

 which is a small sac having an outlet into the 

 oviduct, or tube, through which the eggs pass 

 from the ovary. As the egg pas.-es this outlet, 

 a spermatozoon generally enters a minute open- 

 ing in one end of the egg, called the micropyle. 

 If. however, the egg be intended for a drone- 

 cell, then no spermatozoon enters the micropyle. 

 and such egg can never produce any thing but 

 a drone. Get clearly, then, the idea that an 

 egg that is fertilized as it passes the outlet from 

 the spermatheca will produce a worker or a 

 iQueen. and that one not thus fertilized will pro- 

 duce a drone. No after-treatment can change 

 its sex. I know that some have suggested the 

 possibility that the workers might change a 

 worker to a drone egg by removing the sperma- 

 tozoon; but no one has given any proof that 

 such a thing has ever tak(ui place, so far as I 



know; and the minuteness of the micropyle is 

 pretty good proof that such a thing is utterly 

 impossible. 



Space will not permit to give full proof of the 

 statements I have here made; but those who 

 are interested will do well to invest 1.5 cents in 

 the little pamphlet, The Dzierzon Theory. But 

 it may be well to give here some little light on 

 the subject. In the first place, let it be under- 

 stood that queens and workers are of the same 

 sex. A queen is a fully developed female. A 

 worker is a female not fully developed. The egg 

 that produces a queen is precisely the same as 

 that which produces a worker; but the differ- 

 ence in the quality and quantity of food given 

 to the larva is what decides that one shall be a 

 queen and another a worker. 



The answer to the questions given, in the 

 light of the foregoing statements, can be readi- 

 ly found. What will be the result if an egg 

 from a worker-cell be transferred to a drone- 

 cell? It can produce only what it would have 

 been if it had not been transferred. The sper- 

 matozoon is there, and that makes it of the fe- 

 male sex. Whether it will produce a larger 

 worker than if left in its original cell, I am not 

 prepared to say. 1 have seen workers hatch out 

 of drone-cells, and I could not discover that 

 there was any variation in size. There might, 

 of course, be a slight variation without its be- 

 ing recognized; but I am inclined to the opinion 

 that the difference in size, if there was any, 

 was very slight. 



What will be the result if a drone egg be 

 transferred to a worker-cell? Unfortunately, 

 all bee-keepers of considerable experience are 

 only too familiar with cases in which drone eggs 

 are laid in worker-cells, and even in queen-cells. 

 A drone-laying queen or a laying worker may 

 put eggs in any number of worker-cells; but 

 the eggs, not being fertilized, will produce 

 drones and nothing but drones. The limited 

 size of the cell must of necessity have its effect 

 on the size of the drones produced. They can 

 not grow to full size, for want of room. There 

 is no trouble whatever in recognizing the dif- 

 ference in size. They look just like other drones, 

 only in size they are like workers. 



Those unfortunate colonies which have noth- 

 ing but drone eggs will try to raise queens from 

 them. Eggs will be laid in full-sized cups; food 

 will be lavishly supplied, but all to no purpose. 

 A drone egg can produce nothing but a drone. 

 Indeed, it can not even produce that in perfec- 

 tion, when laid in a queen-cell; for, according 

 to all observation, such drone never makes its 

 wav out. but always dies in the cell. 



Marengo, 111. C. C. Miller. 



J. A. BUCHANAN'S CASE. 



A STATEMENT OF THE SITUATION FROM A BEE- 

 KEEPER AND A LAWYER. 



Mr. Root:—\ have been much interested in 

 friend J. A. Buchanan's case. This matter of 

 adulteration of honey has been very vividly be- 

 fore my mind for five years past, and I have dis- 

 cussed and consideved the matter in nearly all 

 possible phases. In my own experience, which 

 has been somewhat extensive, I have been hun- 

 dreds of times accused of adulterating, or ask- 

 ed if I did not adulterate. I always took oc- 

 casion to deny in most unmistakable terms, that 

 I had everniixel any ariicli' with our honey 

 for the purpose of cheapening it. If I had ad- 

 mitted, evfen as a joke, or to avoid unpleasant 

 remarks, or to avoid a trial in court, that I was 

 to blame in any particular, the parties concern- 

 ed would have been unalterably convinced that 



