THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



is fastened a pipe of oval shape. 

 This is surrounded by sawdust, where 

 the heat is accumulated, and by fiue 

 gravel, wliere the heat will be quick- 

 ly given off. This pipe from time to 

 time is filled with hot water. The 

 Professor says the results were very 

 good ; his colonies got strong, while 

 snow covered the fields. 



Ancient history of the bees. 

 In "Deutsche Fiuker aus Boehmen" 

 Mr. Tony Kellen publishes an article, 

 "The bee in the literature of the 

 world." He quotes from about two 

 hundred writers in about twenty dif- 

 ferent languages. The first part is 

 from ancient India, and we see that 

 in India the bee was well known and 

 valued 1500 or 1300 years before 

 Christ. 



Why some bees are cross. 

 Mr. Warnken says, in "Bienenzeit- 

 ung," he had observed that bees, sud- 

 denly transferred to a quite different 

 climate and honey resources, are some- 

 times crosser. Bees of a foreign race, 

 raised in their own country, are more 

 gentle than imported ones. This may 

 in some degree explain why some bee- 

 Ivcepers do not find the Carniolan bees 

 as gentle as do others. 



Selma, Texas. 



(Hiuecn-brccbtr's ?Bepartment. 



Conducted bt E. L. Pkatt. 



Salutatory. 



In taking charge of tliis department I shall en- 

 deavor to give to the readers of the Ameuican 

 Apicultukist my best thouglits on tlie special 

 branch assigned me. 



To me queen-rearing is the most interesting 

 branch of apiculture, as it brings one so close to 

 the wonderful workings of nature. 



Tiiere are thousands of interesting facts con- 

 nected vvitli queen-rearing that liave never been 

 made generally public. Among the things yet 

 unlearned there is a storehouse that is inexhaust- 

 ible. , , 



In order to make anything of this kmd a suc- 

 cess, interest must be taken ; and tlierefoie I ask 

 all the readers to "lend a hand," and together we 



will ''duff in." and try to loarn something about 

 the veri/ foundation of the tvhole bee industry, her 

 majesty the queen. 



Brief notes. 



Guard against chance raatings of 



j'oung queens. 



Never misrepresent your goods for 

 the gain there is in it. 



Treat all customers alike, as you 

 would be treated yourself. 



To my mind cross-mating for 

 higher standard is a fizzle. 



A careful breeder will always suc- 

 ceed. A careless man never will. 



I think the black bee, or native, as 

 it is often called, is a deteriorated 

 race. 



Testing in the near future will mean 

 for quality alone. Purity will be un- 

 derstood. 



Black queens mated to Italian 

 drones are very gentle, but what 

 more can we say of them ? 



Perforated zinc bids fair to be of 

 more value to the queen-breeder than 

 to the honey-producer. 



If you find a colony that does not 

 succeed in earning a living, that is 

 where superseding should commence. 



It requires eternal vigilance to keep 

 any race or strain of bees pure. Pur- 

 ity ranks next to honey-gathering 

 quality. 



A convenient record book can be 

 bought for a nickel. If carried in 

 your pocket, it is alwa3's convenient 

 for reference. 



Be ever on the watch for something 

 new. Try to trace cause and effect to 

 the very root. With bees this is an 

 arduous task. 



