162 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



prey upon our combs. I claim 

 that tlieir natural food is the co- 

 coons of the bee larvue ; and clean- 

 Avax combs, without cocoons or 

 pollen, will not be disturbed ex- 

 cept through contiguity. The 

 larvae will grow upon the sediment 

 of a cake of wax, but are of" Plia- 

 roah's lean kine," and it is the 

 same on clean section honey, but 

 that they cannot attain to that 

 grand length and rotund propor- 

 tions admh-ed by the wrens, Avith- 

 out a good penning upon combs 

 containing layer after layer of co- 

 coons, i jot this down while 

 resting in the apiary ; it is not in- 

 tended for publication, but do as 

 3'ou please. I admire and uphold 

 your course in regard to supplies, 

 etc. Science and art are one, and 

 making and selling books and con- 

 A'eniences, thei-efore, is another 

 thing and should be a distinct de- 

 partment. 



A. J. Goodwin, M. D. 

 New Smyrna, Fla., 3Iay 12, 1884. 



Ed. of Am. Apicui.turist : 

 Dear Sir, 



There are many reasons why bee 

 culture should and will become an 

 important branch of industry in the 

 south and among others we may 

 set dovvn the following. 



1. The changed condition of the 

 south to perfect free labor causes 

 the minds of men to be directed to 

 all branches of industry where 

 science, study and skill enter as 

 ingredients ; and as bee culture, not- 

 withstanding any temporary de- 

 pression in the price of its products, 

 is bound to grow as a national in- 

 dustry, so it will in the same pro- 

 portion increase in importance in 

 the south. While the reports show 

 very large yields from different lo- 

 calities in the south, we do not 

 contend for any superiority of the 



south in quantity and especially in 

 quality of honey produced. Still 

 the houe^' yield in any locality yet 

 heard from is snlHcient to be profit- 

 ab'e; and there are many decided 

 advantages such as the following. 



2. The certainty and safety of 

 wintering bees out-of-doors. All 

 that is required is a good rain-proof 

 hive with a moderate amount of 

 stores. Wintering out-of-doors and 

 early gathering of pollen prevent 

 spring dwindling and foul brood 

 and other consequences of close 

 confinement and long winters. I 

 have never known foul brood or 

 spring dwindling, or any other dis- 

 ease. Moths are destructive with 

 black bees, but pure Italians are 

 proof against their ravages. A 

 good stand of Italian bees becomes 

 almost as permanent as a piece of 

 real estate with a sure promise of 

 a big rent and large increase every 

 year. 



o. Inasmuch as hives do not have 

 to be moved for wintering, a skilful 

 apiarist, wlio has reduced his l)usi- 

 ness to a perfect system, so as to 

 have swarming under control and 

 has brought to the minimum the 

 work of his own hands or those of 

 his employes, leaving as much 

 work as possible to '' cheap Italian 

 labor, " can extend beekeeping very 

 largely, adding apiary to apiary in 

 dift'erent localities within range. 

 This has long been a prominent 

 thought with me to adopt and de- 

 velop a hive and system that would 

 enable me to establish a number of 

 apiaries under competent manag- 

 ers. It is much easier to procure 

 the bees than to have them man- 

 aged properly and it takes much 

 time and patience to accomplish 

 large results. 



4. I will add another advantage 

 of the south and that is in regard 

 to queen rearing. Drones fly with 

 me without any stimulation about 

 March 20, each year. Hence I can 

 commence to rear queens for sale 



