THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



75 



Moreover, the physiolo.t^ists were lately enp;aged 

 by anotlKT very attractive but also very dillicult 

 subject, which "incited them to inquire after the 

 laws, according to which the a&exual repro- 

 duction, previously regarded as an exception 

 and now characterized by the name of AUer- 

 nntion of Generation, occurs disseminated 

 among the lower animals, together with sexual 

 generation. 



By the entomologists the physiology of re- 

 pro(iuct-on has been very scantily enriched of 

 lute, as most of them found their task only in 

 rectifying the speciesof insects. Many of them 

 endeavored, at the expense of much time and 

 trouble, to determine tliose species which have 

 been furnished with names by Linna?us and 

 Fabricius, whilst the majoiity found a stiJI 

 greater i)leasure in enriching the systematic 

 catalogues of insects, with a few perfectly new, 

 although extremely insignificant species. 



As up to a very recent peiiod the apiarians 

 formed a sort of close corporation, Avisliing to 

 answer the most important questions relating 

 to the reproduction of the bees among them- 

 selves, it maj' thus have happened that the 

 fruits with which the knowledge of the history 

 of reproduction was enriched by the labors of 

 modern naturalists, could not be perceived at 

 all by this close and short-sighted circle, and 

 consequently could not be made use of by them. 

 Nor did any voice ever force its way out of their 

 circle which might have called in the assistance 

 of the physiologists in the decision of certain 

 problems in the reproduction of the bees. Only 

 within the last few j-ears has the demeanor of 

 the apiarians changed in a most satisfactory 

 way, and it must be said, in praise of the pres- 

 ent circle of apiarians, that at this moment it 

 numbers among its members men who have 

 arrived at a conviction that bee-life does not 

 merely serve to furnish man with wax, honey, 

 and mead, but that it constitutes an extremely 

 remarkable link in the great and most multi- 

 fariously composed chain of animal existence, 

 the importance of which, hoAvever, can only be 

 understood by the assistance of knowledge, 

 such as is furnished by the present development 

 of the natural sciences. By the activity of 

 these enlightened men a complete revolution 

 has taken place in bee-keeping ; a rational pro- 

 cess introduced by the apiarians, and rewarded 

 by the richest results, now celebrates the most 

 complete triumph over empiricism; {lud the 

 names of Dzierzon and Berlepsch above all 

 deserve to be named as conquerors. 



[For the .\merican Bee Journal.] 



Italian Bees and Red Clover. 



Mr. Editor: — In looking over the September 

 number of youi excellent Journal, I read an 

 article from Mr. .J. McCune, in which he pro- 

 poses two questions to " bee-men and novices." 

 The second of those I propose to answer, as I 

 claim to be one of the persons to whom the 

 question is addressed. 



" Has any one, not raising queens for sale, ever 

 had bees to toork freely on the second crop of red 

 clover f'' 



I propose to answer this question to his entire 

 satisfaction. I cannot claim, however, that I 

 saw my bees work on red clover, second crop; 

 but will state thiwi Mr. B. Z. Replogel, of llagers- 

 town, Lul., and myself visited the apiary of 

 Messrs. Langstroth & Son on the ?A day of 

 August last, and after spending a short time in 

 the examination of a few stocks of bees and 

 their Italian ciueens, and the patent machine 

 for extracting honey from the comb in frames. 

 I asked Mr. Langstroth to settle tlu- c[uestion, 

 with me at least, whether the Italian bees could 

 gather honey from the second crop of red clover 

 or not. He requested Mr. R., myself, and seve- 

 ral others to step into his clover patch, which 

 was close at hand, and satisfy ourselves on the 

 subject. We did so, and found the Italian beea 

 Avorking freely upon the bloom, williout seeing 

 a single black bee. G. B. Long. 



HoPKiNSviLLii, Kv., Sept. lo, 18G7. 



Bradford County, Pa. 



This county being a white clover and buck- 

 wheat region, is a good place for bees. The 

 drawbacks are very changeable weather both 

 summer and winter, long winters find foulbrood. 



This disease is the greatest enemy of all. We 

 know nothing of its cause or cure. If you 

 know anyihiug that will prevent or cure ibis 

 disease, you will confer a great benefit on your 

 readers by publishing it. 



I bought an Italian queen bee, reared a few 

 queens trom her, and gave them to some of my 

 black colonies. The result is I get more honey 

 stored by the hybrids ; but they are so cross 

 that I have sometimes wished I had never seen 

 them. They tiud their way into the house and 

 everywhere where there is honey. 



I know that there is a great deal said and 

 written about the good nature of the Italians 

 when pure, while it is generally admitted that 

 hybrids are more vindictive than either variety 

 when imre. Now, how can this be reconciled 

 with the laws that govern all other transmitted 

 qualities of animal or vegetable being? 



I know of nothing else that deviates so 

 strangely as it is claimed that bees do in this 

 case. Where do they get this tendency to pug- 

 nacity, if not from their ancestors ? And how 

 can their progenitors impart that Avhich they 

 do not possess ? 



If the truth be hid from the public tosubservc 

 speculation, or for any other reason, it cannot 

 be so held very long, and honor to the man who 

 is honest enough to tell it lirst. 



P. Peckham. 



Foulbrood still remains a mystery, its source 

 or cause being alike unknown. No efficient 

 prevention has yet been discovered; nor has 

 any prompt, conveniently available and unfail- 

 ing cure yet been devised. 



It is unquestionably true that impure Italian 

 bees, or hybrid, are peculiarly ill tempered and 

 irritable. For the present we must rest content 

 to know the/a<-< without presuming to assign a 

 reason for it. 



Send us the names of Bee-keepers, with their 

 Post Oflice address. 



