1873.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



273 



queens in one colony. I do not see any benefit 

 in this improvement other than the increase of 

 brood in the same hive, but on the other hand, 

 if we keep several queens in one hive, how shall 

 we know which one is the best, the youngest, 

 the purest, the most prolific? And if there are 

 the defects among their bees how shall we find 

 out which is the wrong queen ? This new idea 

 of association among bees has already been put 

 forward, although not quite on the same plan, 

 by Ch. Leblon, as Mr. A. can see in the Journal 

 des Fermes, (p. 289, 2d year). Mr. Leblon has 

 tried the association of colonies of bees. He 

 united forty two hives in a large room by placing 

 the hives side by side so that they could com- 

 municate together, and allowing but one en- 

 trance for all. But his was no improvement and 

 any body who will read his article on the 

 subject will be convinced that his trial was a 

 failure. 



Sixth improvement. The lengthening of the 

 proboscis of the bees. This is another old-new 

 idea. It has been hinted at by my father in the 

 3d vol., of A. B. J., p. 194, 1867. I can find no 

 fault with this improvement, but I ask whether 

 we had not better commence breeding from the 

 stock of bees that have the longest proboscis ? 

 And is it true that the Italians have a longer 

 proboscis than the blacks? Does not Gallup 

 say that he has seen seasons when the Italians 

 gathered freely from red clover when the blacks 

 could get nothing? 



Mr. A. disparages the Italian bee because of 

 some slight variations in its native country. 

 He wants uniformity. How can he expect to 

 get it if he stops breeding from the most uni- 

 form breed of bees that is known ? And what 

 advantage will he derive from breeding either 

 the hybrid or the black, or even the gray bee, 

 when neither of these kinds are known to be 

 any better than the Italian in any respect, and 

 'when they are acknowledged to be inferior in 

 many ])oints? As to saying that the Italians are 

 not superior to any other bees, it is impossible 

 for any body who has tried them seriously, and 

 Mr. A. could not say it without contradicting 

 himself. Then, why does he try to disparage 

 them? 



I have been told by one of his acquaintances 

 that Mr. A. has allowed his bees to run back 

 into the hybrid and black breeds, that he cannot 

 easily re-Italianize them on account of the 

 difficulties of management of the A. hive, and 

 that Mr. A. would like to start the Gray bee 

 of his vicinity, but I consider all this as gossip 

 and would not pay attention to it. I speak of 

 it simply to show Mr. A. what some persons say. 

 For my part I believe him to be a gentleman 

 who has the good of bee-culture in view, and I 

 am sure that my brother bee-keepers will agree 

 with me in this respect. 



C. P. Dadant. 



Hamilton, 111, May 9, 1873. 



[For the American Bee Journal,] 



From Missouri. 



Editor, Journal. I drop you a hasty line 

 not exactly as a communication but rather as 

 giving notice to all " bee-keepers " in the United 

 States, and other countries, where apiculture is 

 practiced, that all may have a chance to be pre- 

 sent with their articles, products, etc. 



It is expected that there will be offered at the 

 next exhibition of the Kansas City Agricultural 

 and Mechanical Exposition, premiums amounting 

 in the agregate to five hundred dollars. Say one 

 hundred^and fifty dollars, ($150,) for the best 

 honey by any association. One hundred dollars 

 ($100,) for the best individual display of honey. 

 Fifty dollars ($50,) for the best average yield 

 extracted from not less than ten colonies. Twenty 

 five dollars ($25,) for the best yield, extracted 

 from one colony including all honey made by 

 the one colony, and the swarms that may be 

 made from the one stock, commenced with this 

 spring. Twenty five dollars ($25,) for the best 

 yield of box honey, from not less than ten 

 colonies. Fifteen dollars, ($15,) for the best 

 yield from one colony and its swarms of this 

 year of box honey. Five dollars, ($5,) for the 

 best specimen of honey in the comb, all to be 

 the product of the year 1873, except the old colon- 

 ies. Each entry to be accompanied with a written 

 statement of the whole facts in regard to mode, 

 method, and treatment, etc., under the signature 

 of the parties making the entries. Fifty dollars 

 for the stock of bees, including queen, etc. ; the 

 queen and stock of bees that takes this premium 

 to be sold on the ground at one o'clock, the last 

 day of the exposition, to the highest bidder, 

 and the proceeds thereof, to be used in getting 

 up a suitable medal, to be presented to the 

 raiser of the said stock of bees. Twenty dollars 

 ($20,) for the best and most practical " beehive." 

 Ten dollars ($10,) for the best and most prac- 

 tical Mai extracter. 



We expect to have a separate department, 

 with department superintendent who will be 

 selected by the Kansas Exposition Association. 



It is expected that this enterprise will prove 

 a grand success. As every member of the Green- 

 wood Beekeepers' Association will use every 

 laudable means to make it such. 



We hope to see all of the great men of the 

 United States and Canada, and many from other 

 Isles present so that we can have one big " Pow- 

 wow." Now I must close for fear that it will 

 be too long for you to publish in so short a time, 

 as we wish it to come out in the June number. 

 Success to the old " Journal. - ' 



Your Obedient Servant, 



Jas. D. Meadow, President, 

 Greenwood Beekeepers' 1 Association. 

 Independence Mo. 



N. B. — We do not mean the foregoing as an 

 advertisement, but simply mean that it is for 

 the good of all aparians. J. D. M. 



