.IL'NK 1, 191. 





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Bees produced little more than winter stores. 



AN OFF YEAR IN WEST VIRGINIA 



I!Y S. MACDILLEY 



In 1913 we were so hard hit b}' drouth 

 tliat I don't believe any colonies in the 

 county produced a surplus above what was 

 required for their wintering. Last year 

 conditions have been a little better. 



The photograph showing half of my 

 apiai-y was taken in August, before any 

 surplus was removed. Tt sj)eaks for itself. 



We depend on locust and basswood for 

 nectar, though wild flowers and apple- 

 bloom play a small part. 



Comb honey sells for 15 to 20 cts. a 

 section. Extracting has not been introduced 

 yet, as our local trade consumes all sur- 

 plus. 



Edrav, W. Va. 



BEEKEEPING IN JAPAN 



BY S. IMAMURA 



The beekeeping business in Japan has 

 been carried on by my countrymen from 

 very ancient times. The common Japanese 

 honeybee is black, with a small body, a 

 -ling, and lias all the evil characteristics of 

 lie common blacks of America. 



Some jK'ople say that Japanese honeybees 

 are of two kinds — one yellowish black and 

 the other black. The history of the yellow- 

 ish black is as follows : 



Over 350 years ago a Christian priest 

 named Francis Xavier came to this country, 

 and at that time a foreigner brougiit .some 



yellow bees from Europe and stocked them 

 on Okinawa Island (between Kyushu and 

 P"'ormosa). The result was not good, and 

 the apiary soon vanished, but the brood 

 spread over the southern part of Japan. 



Some years ago Mr. K. Aoyagi imported 

 some colonies of Carniolan bees and started 

 an apiary at Hakone, and afterward im- 

 ported several other kinds. 



It is curious that, although diiferent sorts 

 of foreign bees will cross with each other. 

 Ja))anese honeybees absolutely refuse to do 

 so. That is to say, Japanese ((ueens and 



