416 



Correspondence. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



One Day's Work Extracting. 



L. C. ROOT & BRO. 



On page 367 of the American Bee 

 Journal for August, friends McLean 

 & Son speak of taking 1.153 lbs. of honey 

 in one day with one machine, and ask 

 who has done better. We acknowledge 

 we are not very ambitious in regard to 

 such matters, but as we have probably 

 had as much practical experience in ex- 

 tracting for the past 10 years as most 

 bee-keepers, having often during our 

 hurried season taken more than the 

 amount named, we will say that on the 

 29th day of June we took from 56 colo- 

 nies 1,565 lbs. This apiary was about 4 

 miles from our home, and we did not 

 commence work until about 9 a. rn.,and 

 finished about 6 p. m. This account is 

 without weighing the honey that 

 drained from between 1 and 2 bushels of 

 cappings. We cannot head our item as 

 they do, yet we have taken 15,000 lbs. 

 from 176 colonies, which, considering 

 the almost entire failure of surplus with 

 many bee-keepers in this part of the 

 country, we thiink a very satisfactory 

 yield. We consider this a pretty good 

 proof of the superiority of modern over 

 ancient methods. 



Mohawk, N. Y., August, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Duplicating Queens. 



A. F. MOON. 



This question ever keeps rising, like 

 Benquo's ghost : How long is it to con- 

 tinue, in the utter hopelessness of ob- 

 taining any " satisfactory result ?" In 

 the August number of the American 

 Bee Journal, Mr. Pike quotes his 

 "card" to me, which read as he states, 

 but not one sentence to give any surety 

 that he would perform what he agreed 

 to. Neither would he agree to bind 

 himself to send his security. But he 

 quietly remarks that Mr. Moon is trying 

 to creep out of his proposition. The 

 readers of the Journal may remember 

 my proposition, which was to give Mr. 

 Pike 8 times the price of queens, be- 

 sides paying all expenses in making the 

 necessary test. Mr. Pike requested 

 that I give security for the full amount; 

 to this I responded that the necessary 

 security would be placed in the hands of 

 the Mayor of this city, and acknowl- 



edged good, and I then exacted a small 

 security of him that he should perform 

 his part of the contract ; but this was 

 bringing matters to a focus, and shows 

 who is " creeping out," etc. 



If Mr. Pike has this remarkable class 

 of queens, why should he refuse to 

 prove it, and give the small security 

 asked of him to perform what he agrees. 

 But rather than to bind himself to show 

 that he has such " princesses," Mr. Pike 

 quietly dismisses the subject. 



The columns of the Bee Journal 

 have been open to this subject for nearly 

 2 years, and none of the advocates of 

 queens invariably duplicating them- 

 selves have proved their assertions. I 

 have been ready to do as I agreed, as 

 well as to bind myself to perform, etc.; 

 but when Mr. Pike was required to bind 

 himself in a small sum to do as he 

 agreed, he refuses to do so, as all others 

 will who claim that they have such 

 stock 



Rome, Ga., Aug. 12, 1880. 



[Now both sides have had their " last 

 word," etc., let it rest. Many of our 

 readers are tired of the controversy, 

 which is so fruitless in its results. — Ed.] 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The Cyprian "The Coming Bee." 



HENRY ALLEY. 



Much is being said about " the coming 

 bee." I have had Cyprian bees all the 

 season, and find them to be all that is 

 claimed for them. They are very act- 

 ive, industrious and smart. The work- 

 ers are as beautiful to look at as the 

 handsomest Italians. I have heard, in 

 years gone by, that they were vicious, 

 but I do not find them so. I can open 

 a hive with much less smoking than I 

 can either my Italian or Hungarian bees. 

 The Cyprians will be in demand as 

 soon as their superiority is known. 



The weather the past season has been 

 very favorable for queen-rearing. 



Occasionally some one asks if queens 

 can be safely introduced in September. 

 They can be safely introduced at any 

 time between April and November. 

 I think my plan the surest and safest of 

 any published. It is this: Unqueenthe 

 hive, and in just 72 hours (3 days) smoke 

 the bees or sprinkle them with honey 

 and water scented with peppermint or 

 anything of the kind, and let the queen 

 in. Do not put the queen near the hive 

 till she is introduced ; no hunting for 

 queen cells. Let all try the above plan 

 and they will succeed. 



Wenham, Mass., Aug. 17, 1880. 



