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THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



219 



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TRINIDAD. 



The following is extracted from a 

 letter to the editor of The Bee-Keep- 

 er, dated at Arima. Trinidad. British 

 West Indies, Oct. 29, 1902, and is from 

 a progressive subscriber who keeps 

 bees in" that far-ofT island on the Ven- 

 ezuelan coast'- 



Trinidad is a very beautiful island; 

 the scenery is indescribable, and must 

 be seen to be appreciated. The luxuri- 

 ant vegetation commands the admira- 

 tion and wonder of all tourists from 

 Europe and America. They find no 

 words to describe it. The richness of 

 our soil exceeds that of all other West 

 Indian islands. I regret to say that 

 our people have not the pushing, pro- 

 gressive spirit of Americans, and they 

 fail to take advantage of all new ideas; 

 though the Imperial Government is 

 trying to do something, by the estab- 

 lishment of the Imp. Department of 

 Agriculture. Unfortunately, though, we 

 have not a reading public; and as 

 Coggshall says, only the person who 

 reads is progressive. 



Our staple products are sugar and 

 cocoa, and you know the present con- 

 dition of the sugar business. Cocoa 

 is now what the people think of, and it 

 is extensively produced; but the culti- 

 vation is not carried on under the best 

 conditions, as the present planters do 

 it as their grandfathers did. The plan 

 practiced here is to put the seed (all 

 kinds) in the ground, and let it grow. 

 That's all. No tillage. 



In its cosmopolitan aspect Port of 

 Spain is the London, while commer- 

 cially it is the Hong Kong of the West 

 Indies, as all produce from the main 

 or north coast of South America — Ven- 

 ezuela. Columbia and North Brazil 

 passes through Pt. of Spain. Its 

 stores are favorably compared with 

 those of Europe and America. The 

 people are cosmopolitan in the fullest 



sense of the word. From New Zea- 

 land to Alaska, Japan, Hawaii and 

 from every part of the world, you will 

 find people here; and all conduct them- 

 selves properly under the British flag 

 and institutions. We are governed as a 

 Crown Colony, and of course there are 

 complaints, but few would care to see 

 a change. 



For the production of honey Trinidad 

 is an ideal location, but as to the dis- 

 posal of the product, we have the same 

 difificulty as in Jamaica, Australia, 

 America, etc. I have been developing 

 a home market, but cannot dispose of 

 all my product, as honey has never been 

 used here except in pharmacies. 



Hurrah for The American Bee-Keep- 

 er. Faithfully yours, 



C. M. Carmona. 



ENGLAND. 



The following notes are gleaned from 

 the Bee-Keepers' Record: 



"J. P." puts up his extracted honey 

 in one-pound jars and readily sells it 

 at 25 cents for light and 20 cents for 

 the dark. He relates also the follow- 

 ing strange experiences: "I had three 

 frame-hives which swarmed last year, 

 not one of which has done anything 

 this year. This raises the question, 

 'What about the young queen theory?' 

 Another strange thing: My strongest 

 stock this season was a swarm of 1889, 

 and the stock is consequently thirteen 

 years old. This hive has never had a 

 frame lifted from the brood chamber, 

 nor has the hive been once moved from 

 its floor-board. How is that for the 

 let-alone plan?" 



An interesting state of affairs was 

 brought to light the other day. It has 

 been known for some time that a swarm 

 of bees had made the clock turret of 

 the national schools their home, but 

 owing probably to the difificulty of ac- 



