IQO^ 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



117 



ately fond of honey could not be in- 

 duced to keep bees because of their ter- 

 ror of the stings. On the other hand, 

 some of the most enthusiastic and suc- 

 cessful of bee-keepers on a small scale 

 care little for the sweets but delight in 

 working with the bees. Only those who 

 have tested the enjoyment to be found 

 in the various departments of nature's 

 workshop can appreciate the genuine 

 pleasure to be derived therefrom: and 

 the more intimate the associations, the 

 more thorough the enjoyment. 



Bee-keeping presents a phase which, 

 while one of the oldest industries in the 

 history of man, still there is something 

 unexpected at everj- turn. Apiarists are 

 every day recording something new 

 about the habits or methods of this 

 most intelligent and most useful of in- 

 sects: and still the half has never been 

 told. Those who fail to add yearly to 

 their own knowledge that of recognized 

 authorities do themselves as well as 

 their charges an irreparable damage. 



Of course all progressive bee-keepers 

 take and read regularly at least one re- 

 liable journal. Through this they are 

 kept informed on the improved methods 

 of handling, markets, etc. But during 

 the winter every bee man should make 

 it a point to carefully read, study, a 

 standard work on the life history of the 

 bee. There are numerous books on the 

 subject at reasonable price. It will do 

 one good to learn of the functions of 

 the various members, even if such 

 knowledge does not increase the honey 

 flow^ The experiments whereby the 

 sense of smell was located in the an- 

 tennae are most interesting. Prof. Cook 

 heartily recommends a small lens in 

 dissecting, and says of its results: "I 

 would much rather that my boy should 

 become interested in such study than to 

 have him possessor of infinite gold 

 rings, or even a huge gold watch with 

 a tremendous charm. Let such recrea- 

 tion gain the attention of our boys, and 

 they will ever contribute to our delight 

 and not. sadden us with anxiety and 

 fear." 



It is certain that a study of any part 

 of the bee or its habits reveals unex- 

 pected pleasures. The narrow line be- 

 tween instinct and reason becomes un- 

 certain. What colors do bees prefer? 

 What power over them has odor, be it 

 of flower or crushed bee? Under what 

 conditions are they most liable to sting? 



What is the physiological result to the 

 bee of stinging? These are but a few 

 of the queries. that will suggest them- 

 selves, and he who adds annually to his 

 knowledge of bees and their habits is 

 bound to become more observing, en- 

 thusiastic, and sympathetic. He be- 

 comes not only a better bee-keeper but 

 a better citizen. Life is broader, more 

 noble. A comprehension of the won- 

 drous unity in the creation results in 

 the more perfect development and en- 

 joyment of its masterpiece, man. 

 Harmonsburg. Pa.. Jan. 22. 1902. 



Swarming Conditions — Long 

 Tongues. 



Misquoting the Markets. 

 (M. W. Shepherd.) 



WHAT is the matter with Deacon 

 Hardscrabble? There seems to 

 be doubts in his mind as to the 

 value of the advise put forth by some 

 of the prominent teachers in beedom. 

 He says "what a jolly lot of rot is print- 

 ed about manipulation." Bro. H.. it may 

 not be so jolly, but it is rot, and no 

 mistake. 



Bro. Coggshall don't play such a fool- 

 ish part in such a matter as to consult 

 a set of rules about manipulating a hive 

 of bees. Most bee-keepers know that 

 hardly two colonies of bees in a yard 

 will accept the same treatment in the 

 same way. We were told in the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal a few weeks ago that 

 queen cells were always left by the re- 

 tiring queen, and in about a week after 

 the swarm had issued, the cells would 

 begin to hatch. Perhaos that is the 

 way. but if it is. then our bees made an 

 awful mistake in the matter. We had 

 484 swarms issue, led by clipped queens; 

 of course, the old queens were caught 

 and returned, after we bad cut out all 

 queen cells, but we often found there 

 was no cells started, so had none to 

 cut out. but we did find that in 25 per 

 cent of the swarms that came out. there 

 were 'virgin queens with the bees, and 

 the old queen safely back in her old 

 home. As a matter of course, the bees 

 with these virgin queens had to be car- 

 ried back in a swarming box or basket: 

 for as long as a virgin queen was with 

 them, just so long they would stay out. 

 and finally leave for good. I believe 

 bees acting in this way do so in direct 



