THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



Is it not strange that Gleanings 

 ne\er heard of Alley's methods of rais- 

 ing (lueens until this late date? Why 

 does not Ernest come east and give us 

 all a call. Perhaps New England bee- 

 keepers can give a point or two of 

 value. 



That discussion of colors and mark- 

 ings is very interesting and instructive 

 to all beekeepers who are in for bottom 

 facts. 'I'he subject will stand consider- 

 able airing. With the facts we already 

 have, quite a lively debate can be car- 

 ried on. I shall have to accept the in- 

 evitable. "All that glitters is not gold." 



Do you really understand what an 

 undertaking it is to publish z. 32-page 

 bee paper every week. I do, and can 

 say that the task is an enormous one. 

 We cannot be too hearty in our sup- 

 port of the old American Bee Journal, 

 for in its success lies the hope of every 

 man who has a dollar invested in bees. 

 To pass it by would be treason. 



With regard to paying big prices for 

 contributions, I would remind the read- 

 ers that the Apr seems to receive its 

 share of valuable matter, pay or no 

 pay. I look at the matter in this light ; 

 A bee-paper is a sort of relormation 

 Herald for the pursuit, headed by a 

 leader who has the "sand" to man the 

 tiller and keep the forces abreast. We 

 are all stockholders in reality and our 

 dividends are paid monthly or weekly 

 as the case may be. The more real 

 heart we put into it the larger the divi- 

 dends in valuable knowledge. To the 

 publisher the receipts are small enough 

 at best and for that reason I do not 

 object (rather encourage him) to deal 

 in supplies, etc. 



If a comb covered with bees is 

 shaken some distauce from the en- 

 trance, you will notice that'^'the first 

 bees to enter the hive raise their abdo- 

 mens and at once commence fanning. 

 If you have ever watched bees in this 

 position, you may have noticed a small 

 brown spot just over the sting sack. 



It is from this that the young bees find 

 their way. A strong scent is emitted 

 from a quantity of bees in this position, 

 and this scent, coming from under the 

 scale near this brown spot, is fanned 

 back to the rear guards and is quickly 

 answered by a general movement to- 

 ward the hive. This also accounts for 

 the peculiar actions a lost bee will ex- 

 hibit upon first finding the entrance. 

 The same manceuvres will be observed 

 when young bees are taking a flight or 

 as a swarm is marching into its new 

 hive. 



COLOR INDICATING CHARACTER- 

 DEFEND YOUR COLORS. 



The December number of the Apt 

 has quite a "coloring" on the "color" 

 question in Italian bees. It seems that 

 my article in the A. B.J. (page 662) 

 on the "Color and Marking of Italian 

 bees" is bringing some replies and com- 

 ments, yet they are all one-sided so far ; 

 the color extremists keeping quiet. Dr. 

 Tinker's excellent article and your com- 

 ments fully agreeing with my views, we 

 have so far no one to debate with. If 

 our friends on the "golden" side don't 

 spur up a little and defend their "colors" 

 we might get in the notion of having it 

 all our own way. 



The above heading was rather the 

 leading thought in my mind when I 

 penned the article for the A. B.J. ; or 

 in other words can an expert by simply 

 examining a colony of bees that he never 

 saw before, and by close inspection tell 

 by their markings whether or not they 

 are good comb builders, make much or 

 little use of propolis, cap their combs 

 white or not, whether long or short 

 lived, etc. ? This is what I was aiming 

 to draw out a discussion on. I believe 

 it possible to read the character of bees 

 as a phrenologist reads the character of 

 men. Will not Dr. Tinker favor us 

 with an article on this subject? 

 IVaxnesburg. Pa. W. S. Vandruff. 



Mr. G. A. Stockwell favors taking 

 away all honey and feeding sugar stores 

 for winter. 



