234 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



December 



the columns of The Bee-keeper re- 

 garding this or any other country 

 of which we may have some 

 knowledge. 



The attention of New York state 

 bee-keepers is invited to the notice, 

 published elsewhere in this number, 

 of the Bee-keepers' Institutes to be 

 held this month in Batavia, Canan- 

 daigua, Romulus. Auburn and 

 Johnstown. Every effort has beai 

 made to have this series of insti- 

 tutes very instructive and enter- 

 tain incr, iT.nd it is earnestly desired 

 that atl interested in the wellfare of 

 the pursuit shall lend interest and 

 encouragement by their attendance, 

 when possible. We understand 

 that the list of interesting speakers 

 booked to address the meetings in- 

 cludes the name of W. Z. Hutchin- 

 son, Flint, Mich. 



In the November number (page 

 214) we propound four questions, 

 offering one dollar for the first cor- 

 rect solution. This was done with 

 a view to enciting research and the 

 exercise of thought on the part of 

 our amateur readers. At this 

 writing, November 21, several re- 

 sponses have been received; but the 

 dollar still rests impatiently in the 

 pigeon-hole, for the want of correct 

 answers. Instead of offering a 

 new problem this month, we have 

 decided to give oui- readers another 

 chance at the old one. Profes- 

 sional bee-keepers are not to par- 

 ticipate in the competitions for 

 these prizes. We should be pleased 

 to have our amateur friends re- 

 spond freely; and judging by the 

 evident ability of some of those 

 who have already replied, we be- 

 lieve it will be an easy matter for 

 them to pick up several dollars 

 during the coming year. 



That there is a great difference 

 in the queen progeny of mothers in 



regard to the length of time be- 

 tween batching and mating, is a 

 point upon which we do not remem- 

 ber to have heard any comment. 

 As a result of some observation, it 

 has been demonstrated that the 

 daughters of one mother became 

 laying queens in from eight to 

 twelve days, while, in the same 

 yard, at the same season, virgins 

 bred from a very desirable mother 

 did not become fertilized under fif- 

 teen to twenty days. Continued 

 breeding from these two queens for 

 several months during the past 

 season proved beyond question, to 

 our mind, that this is a trait very 

 distinctly marked, and an inherent 

 disposition in certain stock. It 

 just appears to be a case of "I'm 

 so shy" on the part of this particu- 

 lar family of fair misses. A most 

 commendable trait of character, in 

 some instances, indeed; yet, not 

 altogether desirable in queen bees 

 — especially when one is behind on 

 his orders. 



AN AMATEUR DEPARTMENT. 



Again we are requested to intro- 

 duce an exclusively amateur de- 

 partment, by two of our readers. 

 Again we reply : If our amateur 

 friends will come to the front, and 

 by their contributions and interest 

 support such a department, we 

 shall be pleased to give them 

 space. We are in receipt of some 

 matter at this writing which we 

 shall probably use as a beginning 

 next month; and we cordially invite 

 our amateur friends to gather 

 around the ".-Vmateur Table" and 

 assist in making this department 

 one of the most interesting. We 

 solicit questions upon any and all 

 matters relating to bee-keeping; 

 which will be published, and the 

 other members of the amateur 

 circle permitted to reply to these 

 questions. When a question is re- 



