1901 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



195 



tute the field force are out then in quest 

 of nectar and pollen, and the manipula- 

 tions are more easily performed. Bees 

 that are swarming or those which are 

 out in the fields gathering nectar and 

 pollen, very seldom volunteer an attack. 

 Of course, a bee-hive should not be 

 pulled apart every few days from mere 

 curiosity; but examine only occasionally 

 to ascertain their progress. Bees should 

 be handled very gently, for they seem to 

 dislike quick and jerky movements ; and 

 are naturally cross on rainy days. It is 

 wise at such times to let their hives 

 alone. 



Euglewood. N.' J. 



Discretion is the perfection of reason and 

 a guide to us in all the duties of life. It is 

 only found in men of sound sense and good 

 understanding. — Bruyere. 



Cuba, N. Y., Aug. 9. 1901. 

 Editor Bee-keeper, Dear Sir: August 

 Bee-keeper has just arrived, and I 

 hasten to point out where you misquoted 

 me on page 1(52. You say "Mr. Simpson 

 thinks a college education a pre-iequisite 

 to successful queen-breeding." I said, 

 "Mr. A. C. Miller, in May 1st Gleanings, 

 might well make his requirements for a 

 successful queen-bee breeder more com- 

 plete by adding a college education as 

 another requisite.'' Mr. Miller has said 

 in substance that unless the queen-rearer 

 can become an enthusiatic and deep 

 student of biology he had better drop 

 queen-breeding. I thought that with 

 the desire and attainments which would 

 make biology of such interest, a college 

 education might be equally desirable; 

 but whereas Mr. Miller predicted failure 

 for all those who did not possess this 

 knowledge and enthusiasm, I, on the 

 other hand, recognized the value of such 

 favorable attainments, but at the same 

 time distinctly stated that I did not con- 

 sider them necessary, but that I thought 

 that the practical man who does not 

 possess these qualifications, could obtain 



great results by the aid of the student 

 who is "strong on theory but in many 

 cases prevented from being broadly 

 practical (on a large scale) by reason of 

 occupation or circumstances." When 

 we find colonies of black bees with just 

 the faintest sign of one yellow band, just 

 enough to show that they are not even 

 pure black, but mongrel, doing equal 

 work and showing equal results in com- 

 parison with colonies of pure Italians, 

 of the best strain, produced by careful 

 selection for thirty years, it is evident 

 that the survival of the fittest in nature 

 seems on a par with, if not superior to, 

 all that man lias done in the \vay of 

 breeding bees; and unless we can make 

 a very great advance in bee-breeding, 

 we had better not try to control mating 

 or drone-rearing, but merely let nature 

 do it all. As near as I am able to judge, 

 the great majority of queen-rearers 

 are not possessed with the requisites 

 stated bi' Mr. Miller, and I believe they 

 are incapable of mal\ing the necessary 

 advance without the aid of some who are 

 especially fitted to assist them. 1 would 

 have greatly preferred that some one of 

 greater experience in apiculture should 

 start the discussion; but as no one seem- 

 ed willing, I am endeavoring, in a series 

 of articles, to show several very grave 

 errors which are being continually advo- 

 cated by our highest authorities, and I 

 am also endeavoring to make contribu- 

 tions looking toward a systematic method 

 of breeding, which, though necessarily 

 theoretical, seems logical to me, and I 

 am giving it to the public before I try 

 it, because I am convinced that some of 

 the principles involved will prove help- 

 ful to others ; and it is only by free dis- 

 cussion and by the experiments of many 

 that so broad a subject can ever receive 

 its proper attention. 



I wish you would read over Mr. Miller's 

 article in May 1st Oleanings, and also 

 the first paragraph of my article and 

 notice how you misquoted me, as it 

 should be corrected. Very truly yours, 

 Frederick B. Simpson. 



[We hardly think Mr. Simpson intend- 

 ed to accuse us of so dishonorable an 

 act as to misquote, though he pointedly 

 says we did it. The fact is, we did not 

 quote him at all in the objectionable 

 paragraph. We were, doubtless, guilty 

 of riiisconstruiug his language: but we 

 trust this is a pardonable oft'ence. — 

 Editor.] 



Editor Bee-keeper: The practical 

 confession of Deacon Hardscrabble, in 



