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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



fate of the colony. The owner looks on 

 dismayed, lamenting the precariousness of bee- 

 culture, which flourishes surprisingly one year 

 and fails altogether in another. 



But even here the dawn of a better day is ap- 

 proachiug. Several bee-keepers' associations 

 have already been organized, as, for instance, 

 in Milan and Verona. These are endeavoring 

 to introduce a rational system of bee-culture, 

 on Dzierzon principles, and hold frequent meet- 

 ings, at which instructive addresses and lectures 

 are delivered. They also have a constant sup- 

 ply of movable comb hives manufactured and 

 for sale. The bee journal, V Apicoltore, publish- 

 ed in Milan, and edited by the Marquis Balsamo- 

 Crivelli, deserves to be particularly mentioned 

 in this connection. 



As regards climate and honey resources, 

 Italy and the Italian cantons of Switzerland, 

 possess all that could be desired for succe c sful 

 bee-culture. The season commonly commences 

 early in the spring, and continues till late in the 

 fall. This, with the advantage of the superior 

 race of yellow bees, makes this region a very 

 Eldorado for the apiarian. There is only one 

 drawback to be named, and that is that the 

 honey is not uniformly of good quality, most 

 of it being inferior to that procured in more 

 northerly countries. This results from the di- 

 versity of the prevalent pasturage. The honey 

 gathered in the spiing from meadow flowers, 

 rape, clover, and the blossoms of fruit trees, is 

 fine, having a clear amber color, and an aro- 

 matic flavor. Then follows an abundant sup- 

 ply from the blossoms of the chestnut trees, 

 which is of an inferior quality, darker in color, 

 and of a harsher taste. That gathered in July 

 is finer again, being derived from meadow flow- 

 ers. Finally, in August and September, there 

 comes in an abundant supply from the buck- 

 wheat fields and the heathery wastes, which is of 

 inferior quality and little esteemed ; and there- 

 with the season ends. Well, we cannot have 

 all things at once. Where the sources of sup- 

 ply are so ample, numerous, and continuous, 

 much of the honey may indeed be of inferior 

 quality, yet bee-culture be a profitable business 

 still. 



The current year has been less favorable to 

 bee-culture than any of the three preceeding. 

 The spring was late and cold ; then followed a 

 long continued severe drouth ; and now we 

 have excessive rains. All this restricted the 

 production of honey. 



I close with a cordial greeting to all Ameri- 

 can bee keepers. 



DR. BLUMHOP. 



Biasca, Canton Tessin, Aug. 21, 1868. 



E2irDr. Blumhof, the writer of the foregoing, 

 as many of our readers are aware, is the origi- 

 nator and proprietor of an extensive establish- 

 ment at Biasco, for rearing Italian queens, 

 where the business is prosecuted systematically, 

 with great judgment and skill. 



From England. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Superiority of Ligurian Bees. 



The clever German bee-master, the Baron 

 von Berlepsch, states, "that he had never 

 known a queen of the current year to send off a 

 swarm. ' ' 



The following facts prove that a queen of the 

 current year does sometimes send off a virgin or 

 maiden swarm, but it is a rare occurrence, and 

 I never heard of a second swarm of English, or 

 common black bees, sending out two virgin 

 swarms, in this country. 



In May, 1866, I sent a stock of pure Ligurian 

 bees to a clergyman in Essex, and it threw off 

 three swarms. The first swarm sent out only 

 one virgin swarm ; but the second swarm, with 

 the queeu of the current year, sent out two vir- 

 gin swarms. So this one stock that year in- 

 creased to seven. 



Another stock of Ligurian bees, sent out at 

 the same time to the neighborhood of Liver- 

 pool, also increased to seven ; but in this case 

 the old stock, in a glass observatory hive, sent 

 out four swarms, and the first swarm sent out 

 two virgin swarms. The old stock, after throw- 

 ing off four swarms, got so crowded again with 

 bees that they hung out in a large cluster, and 

 it was thought thej would swarm again ; to 

 prevent which a large super was put on the 

 hive, which they nearly filled with combs and 

 honey. 



Before the introduction of the Ligurian bee 

 into England, such an increase as two stocks of 

 bees to fourteen in one year, all with natural 

 swarming, was never heard of. 



Another swarm, of last year, that I sold to a 

 friend, sent out four swarms, all in May of the 

 present year. The fourth swarm, with a queen 

 of the current year, sent out a large virgin 

 swarm on the 12th of July. Since then I have 

 not heard from their owner. What a wonder- 

 ful contrast this is, with the common English 

 bees, both in this country and America, as I 

 know several large apiaries that have not sent 

 out a single swarm this remarkably dry sum- 

 mer. 



WILLIAM CABR. 

 Newton Heath, 

 near Manchester, England. 



Smoke is very offensive to bees ; therefore 

 let not their hives stand near a brickkiln, lime- 

 kiln, or brewhouse, or where any long continu- 

 ing smoke may beat down upon them. — Pur- 

 chas. 



In Hampshire, England, there is said to be a 

 superstition prevalent, that bees are idle or un- 

 productive, and unfortunate at their work, 

 whenever there are wars. 



A popular colony will survive injurious treat- 

 ment, which would speedily cause the destruc- 

 tion of a weak one. 



The hum of bees is called drowsy by Shak- 

 peare ; by others it is described as sedative and 

 soothing ; and others again call it cheerful and 

 merry. 



