1890 



GLEANINGS IN 13EE CULTUR^. 



753 



This depends. I think no invaria,ble rule can 

 be given. It depends much oii thei individual 

 character of the colonies. 



Michigan. C. A. J. Cook. 



There was a time when I thought that hy- 

 brids were the best honey-gatlierers; but I have 

 changed my mind. I believe that the Italians 

 are the most i^rofitable bees. 



Ohio. S. W. C. F. MuTH. 



Doctors disagree. I got severely bounced 

 once for giving my opinion upon tills delicate 

 question; and now, if you please, I'd rather not 

 say. 



Ohio. N. W. H. R. Boai{dman. 



There is little difference in a good season; but 

 in a medium to poor season the Italians are 

 very much preferable. Then we must have the 

 Italians to get a hybrid Italian, you know. 



New York. C. G. M. Doolitti,e. 



I am sorry to say I know nothing about it 

 from actual observation. Reasoning from anal- 

 ogy, I should think it possible we might expect 

 more vigor in n, first cross than in a pure race. 



Illinois. N. C. C. Millek. 



The querist speaks just as though hybrids 

 were hybrids, and all just alike. I will say that 

 the right kind of hyl)rids from the right races 

 of bees, and tiic rigiit strain of these right races, 

 will do a bettei' business than any pure Italians. 

 That is my experience. 



Michigan. S. W. Jajies Heddon. 



It miglit be a little hard to determine. For 

 extracted honey we prefer the Italians. They 

 are nearly moth-proof, and defend their hives 

 well from robbers. The first cross from pure 

 Italians and blacks generally produces bees that 

 are hard to beat as honey-gatherers; but it is 

 difficult to keep just that grade, hence we pre- 

 fer Italians. 



Wisconsin. S. W. S. I. Fkeeborn. 



Our preference is for the hybrids. Our best 

 out-apiary had very good Italians. The young 

 queens met black drones, which were plejitifui 

 in the neighborliood. The cross caused the bees 

 to become very industrious with their stings. 

 and we have been compelled, not by tlireaten- 

 ings of law proceedings, but out of courtesy for 

 the feelings of others, to move the apiary to a 

 less exposed position, some 20 rods from any 

 habitable building. These bees were fearers 

 for gathering honey. They beat the record of 

 all my other ai)iaries. 

 . New York. E. Rambler. 



Well, friends, I am astonish(>d, and I don't 

 know but I might say I am a little bit disgusted, 

 to see that so many of you intimate that there 

 is not " very much difference." Friend Doolittle 

 hits the point I have in miud. If it were not 

 for the lUilUms, you would not have even any 

 hybrids. And now, friends, if I may disagree 

 with so many good men. I can hardly believe 

 there is one of you who would keep on bee- 

 keeping with any thing like his present energy 

 and enthusiasm if your future operations were 

 to be confined strictly to black bees and nothing 

 else. Friend France was pretty positive when I 

 was there, and I am glad to know that he has 

 changed enough to say j ust now, " I don't know."' 

 If T am not mistaken, he once told nw that he 

 would just as soon, or a little rather, have the 

 "simon-pure blacks." Very likely they would 



be mni-e peaceable, foj- some of his hybrids were 

 veritable little tigers; and I don't know, by the 

 way, but that it is getting to be a little fashion- 

 able to have this sort. Ernest found them with 

 most of the big bee-keepers iu York State. 

 Now, I hardly believe they have a preference 

 for such bees; but my opinion is, that it takes 

 so much time to keep the Italians pure they 

 just let them slide; and then, rather than ad- 

 mit this state of affairs, they defend the hybrids. 

 Yes, I know that liybrids gather honey; and I 

 should not be surprised if, taking seasons as 

 they come and go, hybrids, as a rule, would get 

 just as much as pure Italians. 



THE INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN BEE- 

 ASSOCIATION. 



FULL PARTICULARS, ETC. 



Friend JJoot.-— Inclosed find the programme 

 of th(- I. A. B. A. for the K(K)kuk meeting. I 

 wish to add to it. that the Business Men's As- 

 sociation of Keokuk have voted to pay for the 

 rent of the commodious G.A.R. Hall out of their 

 own fund, for the use of the bee-men. Thanks 

 will be duly extended to them at the pi'oper 

 time for this generous action. 



In regard to the (pK'stions to which you 

 call mv attention in (;lkamx(;s for Oct. 1st, I 

 will say that I had already offered some of .our 

 own honey to the hoti^ls in question, and had 

 made sure of their having a supply on hand for 

 the use of our bee-men; but to give our mem- 

 Ix'rs a chance to taste different kinds, as you 

 suggest, I have make another plan, and here it 

 is: 



A number of those who have expressed their 

 intention of being present at the meeting have 

 also stated that they would like to visit our 

 establishment. As we are located nearly five 

 miles from the place of meeting, it would be 

 difficult for any one to attend all the sessions 

 and come here at the same time, and I have 

 thought of proposing to the convention to hold 

 the last session at our establishment. We have 

 lately built a new bee and hon(>y house, 20 x 32, 

 which is not yet occupied, and would do for a 

 dining-room, and Mrs. Uadaut, Jr., feels equal 

 to preparing, with a little help, one meal for the 

 fraternity of the I. A. B. A. So we might 

 adjourn at 11 a. m. of the last day, and call up 

 the closing meeting at Hamilton, after dinner. 

 At this dinner we shall have a good chance of 

 giving our bee-men a taste of all kinds of honey 

 or honey-cakes which may be brought; and 

 since you have made th(^ first mention of this, I 

 now call upon you to bring us sufficient samples 

 of all that you can procure, or that your I'eadei s 

 may wish to bring or .send for the occasion. I 

 will see to having the reporter's on hand, and to 

 treating them well. 



I also proi)ose to start a subscription to offer a 

 l)remiuni oi. say. 620.00 for the most palatable 

 dish of any kind— cake, pie. preserves, etc.. pre- 

 l)ared witli honey, said dish to l)e tested by com- 

 petent judges at this meeting, i'.nd tiie manner 

 of preparing this dish to be published in Glean- 

 ings subsequently. 



x\llow nu' also to state, that all goods sent for 

 exhil)ition will l^e ti'ansported to the exhibition 

 room free of charge, if prepauJ to KcnhuJu and 

 addressed to me. 1 iiojx' our dealers and man- 

 ufacturers will avail themselves of tliis offer, 

 and do all they can to make a notable display. 



Hamilton, ill., Oct. 8. C. P. Dadant. 



The following is the programme: 



