1S87 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



303 



ahead of any of them. Then, last of all, is a very 

 larg-e bee, the queens apparently attaining the size 

 of a man's thumb up to first joint. These in color 

 resemble the first. The last twojii re those of tenest 

 found in buildin^'-s, but are not above taking an old 

 mouse-nest for a home. The first four are not very 

 numerous. The sixth is quite ooinraon, while fhe 

 fifth e<iuals all of the other five in regard to num- 

 bers. 



Friend Ko<it spoaks of learning to fell those that 

 dojnotjsfing. This may bo a hard nnitterwith some, 

 but I can tell a drone bumblebee as well as our 

 drones from thp hive. The drones from the first 

 and last named, when mature, go in the shade of 

 trees and sit on a fenc^e-stake or mullein-top, and 

 wait for the queens to come along. These are called 

 " shade-bees " here. If you can catch such a bee 

 you need have no fears of its stinging, for the bum- 

 ble-bee drones have no sting. T have spent hours 

 throwing bits of sticks or dirt past and near these 

 bees, to see them chase and lay hold of them, for 

 such a procedure is often more amusing on hot 

 days in August than cutting thistles and weeds out 

 of corn. 



The drones of the fourth and fifth variety' come 

 out in large numbers, atid swarm over the nest 

 from sunrise till 9 or 10 o'cloek on still mornings, 

 and the knowledge of this fact has helped me to 

 find hundreds of their nests. Here they chase ench 

 other about while waiting for the ()ueens to mature 

 ready for fiight. If you want to see all about it, 

 when you find drones thus sporting above a nest, 

 take a long jjole or pitch-fork, and suddenly break 

 their nest open so as to get the queens to take 

 wing. 1 have done so many times. Vou will have 

 to do this carefully on your part, unless you are 

 fixed sting-proof, for the woi-kers will resent if with 

 all fury. 



One thing I desire to call attention to: These 

 bees last spoken of exist and have existed for all 

 ti)ne by in-and-in breeding. The others are always 

 crossing, j'et those which ai'e bred in and in thrive 

 beyond all the others. Will this apply to our honey- 

 beesV (i. M. Door^iTTr.E. 



Borodino, N. Y., March, 1887. 



Thanks, friend D., for the additional facts 

 yon furnisli. I should like to h<\\e Prof. 

 Cook tell us how how nearly your deduc- 

 tions agree with the generally accepted facts 

 in reference to bumble-bees. I have often 

 seen the kind you mention, that will post 

 themselves in the shade, and I have also 

 seen them chase after dirt, sticks, etc., or 

 even insects. I guess Prof. Cook will have 

 to reply to your last paragraph. 



CyPRTAN BEES. 



■JHKIK VICIOl'S HABITS OK.\PHlC ALI, V 1)KS< U I HKI) 

 BV .\N ENGLISHMAN. 



fliOM the Britisli Bee Journal of March 

 lo, page 20, we clip the following 

 irom tfie pen of our friend James A. 

 Abbott, to whom reference luis former- 

 ly been made. The facts lejated by 

 Mr. A. accord very well with our own expe- 

 rience with the pure Cyprians, and so we 

 are the more ready to accept it as true. 



[ have found that, while the Cyprians are in small 

 colonies only, or while the hives contain only young 

 bees, they may be easily handled, but; that when- 



ever a stock is in condition to work a super or store 

 surplus honey it is as dangerous to handle as a 

 bombshell. 



As 1 at first devoted all my spare time to raising 

 queens I had no strong stoclcs to handle, and there- 

 fore could not fully appreciate their temper, but 

 my subsequent experience is as much as 1 want. I 

 remember one operation in particular. I had to 

 remove a queen from a full colony, and felt deter- 

 mined that it should have every chance of behav- 

 ing well. Having put on a new straw hat and veil, 

 and a freshly washed holland jacket, made on pur- 

 pose for handling bees, with tightly fitting waist- 

 band and belt, the attack was made very much a,s 

 directed by Mr. iSimmins, without smoke. 



The combs were handled in turn, the queen 

 caught and carefully put in her box; but here the 

 trouble began. The bees suddenly found some 

 flaw in my management, though I can not say 

 where; and though I had only to put the combs up 

 together and replace the quilt, I was forced to re- 

 tire twice before 1 could do so. The bees rose in a 

 cloud and attacked me on all sides. Stings on the 

 hands did not much matter, but when busybodies 

 force themselves between one's coat-buttons and 

 explore until they find a tender spot, it is more 

 than a regular bee-man cares about. The second 

 attack was made with the addition of string tied 

 round the ankles, india-rubber gloves, and a smo- 

 ker, but even thus armed I could not stay within 

 range long enough to put on the quilt. 'Their re- 

 sentment was now at its height, and a poor spar- 

 row that settled near them was violently attacked 

 and barely escaped with his life. Even when I 

 considered all was over, and I had, after rest and 

 refreshment, retired to my bedroom, an unsuccess- 

 ful pioneer Hew t)ut on the removal of my waist- 

 coat and attacked me with spirit. 1 do not say that 

 Cyprian bees can not be handled any more than I 

 would say tigers can not be tamed or bombshells 

 charged, for I have sometimes managed them very 

 pleasantly, but 1 would strongly advise any one 

 who has any thing to do with them to be prepared 

 for a desperate battle at any moment. 



Soutliall, London. .7. A. Abbott. 



We have not in all cases found the race 

 as vicious as given above : but one must not 

 be surprised if the Cyprians which he has 

 to handle should take it into their heads to 

 behave just as described above. If they 

 don't happefi to lind a "Haw "' in the man- 

 agement, all well and good : but if the apia- 

 rist has uncoftsciously made a wrong move 

 in their judgment, they will appiise him of 

 the fact right speedily. 



WOMEN AS BEE-KEEPERS. 



REASONS OF F.\1LUKE. 



fHB reason some women fail in bee-keeping is, 

 they do not dress warm enough, and so take 

 cold; or not cool enough, and so overheat. 

 They don't release themselves from other 

 cares enough, and so neglect the bees, or 

 else overwork. 



They don't have things handy to do work with, 

 and so have to do a great deal of work to accom- 

 plish a little. 



They don't keep the smoker in order, and so bees 

 drive them or sting them badly. 



They don't have things in readiness, and so do 

 things out of season, just a little behind time with 

 every thing, too late in building u|) colonies strong 

 in the spring in time to get the white-clover honey; 

 too late in putting on sections, and so bees get the 

 swarniing fever; too late in prejiaring for swarm- 

 ing, and::so are driven almost to death; too late in 

 getting the honey ;ofl'|until the honey-harv^est is 

 over and bees rob terribly; too late in fitting up for 

 winter, and so bees have to go neglected, and die in 

 winter, and then these women say. "Bee-keeping 

 doesn't pay." 



