176 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



That Joint in the Leg of a Bee. 



Dear Editor:— That peculiar joint in 

 the leg of the bee has so worked itself into 

 my brain, that it must be disposed of. It 

 has been like a half-learned sonf? which one 

 can neither sing nor get out of mind. 

 Thinking that perhaps others among the 

 many lovers of bees might be interested 

 and pleased, I send a cut which you may 

 use if you choose. 



The artist has not made a 

 very good foot, but tlie joint 

 is quite correct. As the foot 

 of the bee is moved tov/ard 

 the one on the opposite side 

 |*^of tiie body, the joint would 

 I'close, holding tightly any- 

 1^ thing which might be placed 

 I between b and c. By taking 

 K the head off a live bee, and 

 ' putting the leg under a mi- 

 croscope, before life is ex- 

 tinct, the muscles may be 

 seen to contract and relax, 

 tlins showing perfectly the 

 working of the joint and little grasping ap- 

 paratus connected with it. 



On the inside of the first joint of the sec- 

 ond leg there is also a thorn-like projection, 

 which has the appearance of being intended 

 to aid in holding anything being carried by 

 the bee. Both this and the little spur fit- 

 ting over the circular opening in the for- 

 ward leg, seem to be of a horny substance — 

 like the framework of the wing— and with 

 a high magnifying power may be seen some 

 beautiful fluting, inside the circular open- 

 ing. 



Is it not by means of these that they hold 

 so strongly to each other when clustered 

 for comb-building, or in swarming? Does 

 it not show, how much that we have always 

 wondered at might be easily accomplished ? 

 I have tried, when they were carrying out 

 dead bees, to see just how they were held, 

 but the little things were too quick. 



I can find no description in our bee publi- 

 cations, of anything of the kind, except the 

 pollen basket on the posterior leg. If but a 

 mite is added to what is already known of 

 our little workers, I shall be more than con- 

 tent. M. 

 Medina, O., April 16, 1877. 



[M. is invited to continue her investiga- 

 tions and report in the Journal. We 

 think she has done much better than if she 

 had " learned" her "song," and kept it all 

 to herself. We are glad that our lady 

 friends are so earnest in their investiga- 

 tions. Several communications from them 

 appear in this number, and more are wait- 

 ing for our next issue.— Ed.] 



For tlie American Bee .Tournal. 



A Letter from Tennessee. 



Mr. W. J. Andrews sends us the follow- 

 ing letter with a request to publish it: 



Chattenooga, Tenn., Feb. 28, 1877. 



Most of the bee-keepers here ate amateurs. I 



know of no real apiarist in tluis section, but 



nearly every lariner has a few colonies in 



coniiuou box-hives or gums. There is occa- 



sionally an American hive among them, but 

 tney know very little about the management 

 of bees in m(jvable combs. They trust, to 

 luck and are superstitious in regard to selling 

 bees. The get a little honey for home use, 

 but very little goes to market, and that is in a 

 very bad (mussy) condition. The natives will 

 not invest one cent in movable combs or glass 

 boxes. If they are people of any means, they 

 are above bee-keeping, or let the negroes at- 

 tend to the bees. 



I believe Upper Sequaschie Valley is a 

 splendid place for bee-culture as a business. 

 Tlie forage is splendid, especially lireoden- 

 dron trees and black locust. The only 

 trouble is to get to market. 



Last year I made three closed-end frame 

 Quinby hives; frames I!^xl2xl8; each hive 

 with six frames; removable sides and ends; 

 with honey-board and 6 boxes, 434x6x6, glass 

 sides. Til e next thing was to get bee*. So I 

 sent one hive out in the country to get a 

 swarm put into it. The party informed me 

 tliat he put a very large swarm into it about 

 June 15. He promised to send it to me just as 

 soon as it got cold enougli to move them. He 

 delayed so long that about Feb. 15th 1 went 

 after tliem. I found that he had left, the ven- 

 tilator open at the bottom, and one glass box 

 was broken, letting a, draft of cold air th'ough 

 the hive fill winter, killing fully one-half the 

 bees and compelling the others to occupy the 

 other half of tlie hive. The.v were also starv- 

 ing. I smoi^ed them a little, and in half an 

 hour afterwards closed the hive and put it in 

 my wagon. I brought them home and fed 

 them at once, and they are now working very 

 Industriously every warm dny. Tliey appear 

 to be hybrids, as they have yellow spots on 

 each, hip. The party having, had an Italian 

 queen in his yard. 



Now 1 will describe the apiary. There were 

 about 2.5 stands— of all kinds. 2 American, 4 

 with glass fronts and slides to cover glass, 

 others with glass in top, with a drawer ; the 

 rest box hives. The Ameiican hives were the 

 only movable combs in the lot. They had all 

 been sold the day before at public sale, the lot 

 brought from oUc. to $2.50 each (3 stands at 

 $2.50). They were in a very bad condition and 

 were starved and neglecled. Chickens roost- 

 ed on them every night. Hogs rooted tliem 

 over frequently. The glass fronts were all 

 open and the sun shining on the combs. 

 Several were smashed and tlie combs exposed 

 to the air. They informed me that my swarm 

 was the only one that issued in 1876! Also 

 that they sold over $100 worth of honey In one 

 year. 



I will let you know in the future how I suc- 

 ceed. 1 intend to divide my colony and 

 make 3 of it this summer, even if I have to 

 feed. S. C. Dodge. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Western Illinois B. K. Society. 



Met at Monmouth, Warren Co., 111., on Tues- 

 day, April lOih, lb77. President, Wm. M. Kel- 

 logg; Secretary, Hardin Haines; Treasurer, 

 T. G. McGaw ; Vice-Presidents, Jas. A Simp- 

 son and Dr. W. H. Derr; Corresponding Sec'y, 

 Hardin Haines. 



After reading the minutes, the Sec'y read 

 the report of the committee on constitution,— 

 whicli was adopted as were also the by-laws. 



The following became active members: T. 

 G. McGaw, Monmoulli ; Mr. and Mrs. Levi 

 Holhngswoith, Monmouth; A. T. Jarvis, 

 Uquavvka; Wni. M. Kollogg, Oneida; Hardin 

 Haines, Vermont; Judge John Porter, Mon- 

 mouth; G. C. Axtell, Itoseville; A. E. Cole, 

 Roseville; Dr. N. H. Derr, Kuthsburg, 111.; E. 

 C. Crane, Burlington, Iowa, and several others. 



Tlie following was reported by the commit- 

 tee on questions for debate: 



1. Artihcial vs. natural swarming. 



2. Queen rearing. 



3. Best honey resources. 



