130 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



June 



tice legitimate — and perhaps it is — - 

 though we cannot but feel that it 

 is, in one way, a gross deception, 

 and a practice which will work seri- 

 ous evil to the pursuit. It is an 

 insignificant assertion, denoting no 

 good qualities whatever; yet cap- 

 able of universal imitation, without 

 restriction or restraint; while it 

 extorts thousands of dollars from 

 the pockets of the inexperienced. 

 What ambitious beginner would 

 not glory in the ownership of a 

 queen, the daughter of a two hun- 

 dred-dollar mother? The beginner 

 who would not sell his clothes and 

 subsist for a month on the ecstasy 

 of anticipation, in order to acquire 

 such an honor, is not the right ma- 

 terial for a successful b3e-l<:eeper. 

 As Mr. Root intimates, there is no 

 doubt that a certain queen may be 

 of such, or even higher value in 

 fact, to an extensive breeder; but 

 it is not plain how such could be 

 the case with a queen regarding 

 which it is admitted, "It is hardly 

 probable that even a large percent- 

 age of the queens from long- 

 tongued stock will be duplicates of 

 their mothers." It is difficult to 

 see wherein the great value could 

 exist, even in the case of an ex- 

 tensive breeder, if the "high-priced" 

 mother was of the kind which do 

 not duplicate themselves in a large 

 percentage of cases. The exceed- 

 ingly high prices placed upon other 

 stock is cited by our contemporary 

 as parallel examples of this decep- 

 tive and unjust practice. Now, 

 does any reader of this journal know 

 of an instance where such extra- 

 ordinary value — being twem y times 

 higher than prevailing prices for 

 the very best stock known hereto- 

 fore — has been accidentally dis- 

 covered, in an individual case ? 

 Without much personal knowledge 

 as to what might have transpired 

 amo-ng breeders of other stock than 



bees, we will venture the prediction 

 that, if such a thing ever did occur, 

 the value rested in the animal's 

 characteristic of imparting its 

 merits to its off'spring — and then 

 the abnormal value would be largely 

 retained and monopolized by the 

 owner. And would he, without 

 having paid such a price, or re- 

 fused a bona fide offer of such 

 a price, proclaim the merits of 

 this recently discovered animal by a 

 string of figures? What could be 

 more ridiculous than to attempt to 

 measui'e and express merit in stock 

 ,by dollars and cents? One thing 

 not readily understood is this: 

 What power impelled the several 

 fortunate owners of such valuable 

 queens to rise respectively to $50, 

 $100 and $200; and by what rule 

 were these excessive valuations so 

 permanently fixed at the respective 

 altitudes? If not governed by the 

 anticipated result of such an ad- 

 vertisement on one hand, and 

 modesty upon the other, what 

 power or rule decreed the exact 

 position each should occupy upon 

 the scale, and there bid it rest? 

 Mr. Root expresses the opinion that 

 if we had given this matter suf- 

 ficient thought, we woul i never 

 have published the paragraph in 

 question. We beg to assure our 

 contemporary that that paragraph 

 was not hastily penned, but is the 

 outgrowth of vei^y sef'ious and 

 honest thought. We believe the 

 practice to be working harm to the 

 interests of the pursuit wo ai'e 

 pledged to serve; and "though the 

 heavens fall" we shall continue to 

 proclaim that which we honestly 

 believe to be for the general good 

 of American apicultui'e. 



The Ambkican Bee-keepkr is at the 

 head of the list of monthlies, regardless 

 of price. — H. M. Jameson. 



