240 



THE A2IERICAX BEE-KEEPER 



No\->.Etiber, 



HATING IN CONFINEMENT. 



Broad-Guage Plans for Experimenting Projected 

 by the University ot Pennsylvania 



(M. F. Reeve). 



TiE Botanical session of the Uni- 

 versity of Pennsylvania in its in- 

 vestigation of the flora of the 

 United states is about to begin a move- 

 ment which will be far-reaching and 

 of particular interest to the American 

 bee-keeper. 



Two of the professors have become 

 interested in the subject of bee-keep- 

 ing through a series of experiments, in 

 which the noted expert queen-breeder, 

 Mr. Pratt, of Swathmore, took an act- 

 ive part, relative to the mating of 

 queens in confinement. 



These experiments have been carried 

 along quietly for several months in a 

 building which had been put uj) for 

 tem])orary biological experiments on 

 the University grounds. 



The professors who aided in the 

 breeding tests propose to- follow up the 

 honey flow from one State to another 

 throughout the country, beginning with 

 the earliest, and obtaining through cor- 

 respondence or by personal visits, sam- 

 ples of all the plants, grasses, trees and 

 shrubs from which nectar is gathered 

 by the honey bee. together with the 

 time when the flower or blossoms 

 expand. In this way a vast amount of 

 important data is expected to be ac- 

 cumulated for investigation and publi. 

 cation. The M'ork. it is said, will not 

 take in Cuba. Porto Rico or the new 

 possessions in the Sandwich Islands 

 and the Philijipines. 



The men who will undertake the 

 work are expert scientists. 



The experiments in the fertilization 

 of queens in confinement were pai'tly 

 the outcome of the investigations of 

 one of the professors who had taken 

 up the question of parthenogenesis In 

 connection with the life historv of 

 plant lice. From this he became inter- 

 ested in the life of tlie honey bee and 

 with the able assistance of Mr. Pratt, 

 who has also been a student of ento- 

 mology from boyhood, the experiments 

 in fertilization were begun. 



Mr. Pratt is convinced that within 

 a short time he will have conquered 

 the i)roblem on which he has been at 

 work for many months of securing the 

 fertilization of queens under restraint. 



and that he has succeeded in discover- 

 ing that the true fabric for making the 

 tents or shelters is close cotton cloth 

 and not wire cloth. He says he finds 

 his queens used in his experiments 

 take kindly and naturally to such quar- 

 ters and that it is onl.v a question of 

 erecting one of a suitable height to 

 secure perfect results and in that way 

 attain the desired point of breeding 

 from choice selected drones. 



Vice President Flower, of the Phila- 

 delphia Bee-Keepers' Association, has 

 also been experimenting for two years 

 or so along somewhat similar lines, 

 and claims success in a few instances. 

 ^Ir. Pratt goes in for a difljerent con- 

 struction altogether, believing he is 

 going closer to nature. 



Rutledge, Pa.. Sept. ir>. 1903. 



FORMALIN GAS. 



Some Opinions of a Bee-Keeplng Student of 

 Science, in Regard to Foul Brood Treat- 

 ment by the N«w Process. 



(J. E. Johnson). 



WE SEE of late considerable en- 

 thusiasm manifested in the dif- 

 ferent bee journals concerning 

 formalin as a cure for foul brood. Ed- 

 itorials in Gleanings report several 

 cases that were treated with formalin 

 in which the liee-keeper was unsuccess- 

 ful: but that proves nothing, except 

 that we should not depend on this 

 method of treatment until it is better 

 understood. 



However, I believe with Dr. Miller, 

 that we should continue to investigate. 

 I believe every State inspector should 

 experiment with cultures and gas treat- 

 ment. T think I am safe in saying 

 that one application of any gas will 

 not kill spores in all stages of devel- 

 opment, especiall.v drie^d spores. 



Bacteriolog.v is a great stud.v. I am 

 far from being able to comiirdiond it 

 all. but after miich research T have 

 been able to get quite a collection of 

 the best works on the subject, and will 

 give my views, as best I can. with 

 what light I have. If any one wishes 

 to criticise do so, but be sure you give 

 us something better. 



Now the idea Sseems to prevail that 

 anything strong enough to kill bacilli 

 would kill all animal life, but such is 

 not the case. All bacilli ai" of veg- 



