144 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Dec, 



[For the American Bee Journal.] ..j 



Fertilization in Confinement. 



As there has been a good deal said about 

 "Fertilization in Confinement," pro and con, in 

 the different bee journals and agricultural pa- 

 pers, it may not be out of place for me to put in 

 a word. 



In the first place, I will say that it is an un- 

 mitigated humbug, concocted by a few aspiring 

 Italian queen bee raisers, in order to sell their 

 queens, as superior to queens raised by those 

 who do not understand the art of humbugery, 

 and those who did not wish to practice the art 

 of deceit. 



When it was first started, many of the very 

 best apiarians, with hopes that there might be 

 some truth in it, and that it would become a 

 success, tried it until their patience became worn 

 out, and they gave up all hopes. Among them, 

 are Rev. L. L. L., It. M. Argo, Doct. Bohrer, 

 E. Gallup, and many others that might be 

 named, and most of them thought they had 

 succeeded. A few of them still insist that it is 

 a success, notwithstanding the rejection of all 

 the offers that have been made for them to give 

 it a fair trial, and agreements to come to my 

 apiary and fertilize fifty queens in confinement, 

 for $10 each, and I have since offered $2,500 for 

 one hundred, and I am still willing to give $100 

 for each queen they make a success in my apiary 

 next season. Among those that insist on its 

 being a success, is one that is called a prominent 

 apiarian of this State (but I would say that he 

 or she is a successful Langstroth copiest), but I 

 suppose they think it being well stuck to, is as 

 good as though it was the truth. It would not 

 be consistent with themselves unless they did, 

 and they have gone so far as to say that I did 

 not tell the truth, in saying that they agreed at 

 the Cleveland Convention to come to my apiary 

 and learn me the fine art for the small sum of 

 $500. So I will give the report as given by the 

 reporter, a believer in fertilization in confine- 

 mcnVand as published by the publishing com- 

 mittee : 



When discussing the fertilization question, 

 "Report says," W. II. Furman, of Cedar Rap- 

 ids, Iowa, said he would pay $500 to any person 

 who would come to his apiary and fertilize fifty 

 queens in confinement, and $100 for each one 

 he was permitted to see so fertilized. Mr. Waite 

 and Mr. Mitchell would give him all he wanted 

 at that price ; and as I repeated the offer the 

 next day, the report says, as several members 

 were willing to accept the challenge, no doubt 

 but a decided test will be had. But they have 

 failed to come to time, and they never will, 

 any more than Greeley will be President. 



The question is often asked, what is the mean- 

 ing of this fertilization in confinement? It is 

 as I said before, a humbug. But they claim it 

 is confining the queen so she cannot fly out, and 

 select such drones as you may desire, and con- 

 fining them in the same place, so as to mate 

 with the queen, but while so doing they leave 

 the entrance so the workers can fly out, but as 

 many of the young queens are small enough to 

 go where the workers can, the more small 



queens you have the better your success, and 

 there lies all the secret ; and the failures are 

 where the queen is too large to pass the same 

 entrance that the workers do ; and, therefore, 

 does not become mated, and after a certain 

 length of time she will not become mated, if 

 she has a chance to fly. If you wish to buy a 

 poorer quality of queens, buy of those who advo- 

 cate the non-flying fertilization, and you will be 

 sure to get all the smallest and poorest. Others 

 ask, why will they not mate in confinement ? I 

 think it was so ordained that the young queen 

 should mate on the wing, so she would be able 

 to lead off a swarm, when she became the 

 mother bee ; otherwise, any of the imperfect 

 queens would become mated in the hive, and 

 would not be able to lead off the swarm ; and 

 there are a great many such. And again, they 

 would be likely to breed in and in too much, 

 and they would become very inferior to what 

 they now are. W. H. Furman. 



Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 



N. A. Bee-keepers' Association. 



The next session of this Society will he held in In- 

 dianapolis, December 4th, 5th, and 6th next. 



RAILROAD AND HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS. 



The following roads will return members of the 

 Association free, some by round trip tickets, some on 

 the Secretary's certificate that full fare has been paid 

 coming : 



Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railway. 

 Runs from Peoria to Indianapolis. On Secretary's 

 certificate. 



Ft. Wayne, Muncy and Cincinnati R. R. Runs 

 from Ft. Wayne to Connersville. Round trip tickets 

 will be sold at all stations. 



Cincinnati and Indianapolis Junction R. R. Runs 

 from Cincinnati to Indianapolis. Round trip tickets 

 will be sold at all stations. 



Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette R. R. Runs 

 from Cincinnati to Lafayette. Round trip tickets 

 can be had at Cincinnati, Lawreuceburg, Greens- 

 burgh, Shelbyville, Thorntowu, Colfax, Lafayette, 

 Lebanon and Zionsville. 



The following railroads will return members at 

 one-fifth fare: 



Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis 

 R. R. Runs from Cleveland to Indianapolis— also 

 from Columbus to Iudiauapolis. Return tickets will 

 be sold to members at the office in Indianapolis, at 

 one-fifth fare, on presentation of the Secretary's cer- - 

 tiflcate. 



St. Louis, Vandalia, Terre Haute and Indianapolis 

 R. R. Runs from St. Louis to Indianapolis. Returns 

 members at one-fifth fare, on presentation of Sec- 

 retary's certificate that full fare has been paid one 

 way. These certificates must be presented to W. Og- 

 deii, Esq., at the office of the Gen. Superintendent at 

 Indianapolis. 



The following hotels will keep members at reduced 

 rates : 



Porter House — W. H. Porter, Proprietor ; S. E. 

 corner of Illinois and Maryland streets. Board $1.50 

 per day. To members $1.00. 



Revere House — N. D. Keneaster, proprietor ; N. 

 Illinois street, opposite Bates House. Board $2.00 

 per day. To members $1.50. 



Palmer House — Jeff. K. Scott & Co., proprietors ; 

 S. ■£. corner Washington and Illinois streets. Board 

 $2.50 per day. To members $2.00. 



