THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



everywhere ready to be taken up by the 

 blood, which as is '^enorally holieved docs not 

 oirculate in special tubes, but penetrates 

 everywhere ainoiii? the origans, i)assinfi 

 tliroujJb the Interstices, nn I everywhere b itli- 

 Inif this labyrinth of traeliea- or air tubes. 

 Kven tlie vein'< of the win;s contain each its 

 tracheiv aroun I which tlii^ nutritive lluid 

 passes freely. It is a denionstrated fai.'t that 

 ainonj lusher animals, it is the function of 

 the red globules of the blood to convey the 

 oxygen, as we also kn')w that it is the iron 

 contained in the henialine of these same 

 globules which gives the blood its chai-aeteris- 

 tic color. Tlius we understand wh.v in in- 

 sects, when tlie o.xygen needs no transporta- 

 tion, there is an almost entire absence of 

 globules in the blood, jis also why their blood 

 is white or yellow instead of red. 



It was stated above that this tracheal ar- 

 rangement of insects, was analagous to the 

 lungs of liigher animals. Yet there is a 

 marked difference, which it is well to point 

 out. The lungs are localized organs, doing 

 their special work for the whole body, and 

 are doubtless none to large for that purpose, 

 hence tould we get at them, and even lacerate 

 them without liarm to the body, still I tliink 

 all physicians and pbysiologi.sts would hold 

 that even a limited slicing ott' of these organs 

 would injure health. I sujipose that all phy- 

 sicians would hold that even slight ))hthisis 

 would affect the general health, and that our 

 State boards of health would labor most dili- 

 gently to remove any eon lition in nature or 

 domestic life, which had the faintest tend- 

 ency to obstruct the free action of these 

 Important org'ins. 



But with insects the case is far difTerent. 

 Each organ, or wing, or leg, has its special 

 traclife, whose only function is to minister to 

 said organ. Now if the organ is an eflete ap- 

 pendage, its removal carrying with it the air 

 lubes does no harm. Na.y more, is a benefit, 

 as the slight nourishment which it, even if 

 inactive, appropriated, is saved to minister to 

 useful organs. Who would .say that the am- 

 putation of a leg or arm, would entail per- 

 petual ill-health, because forsooth the blood 

 vessels, whose function it is to carry the blood, 

 were removed? We all know that the vessels 

 served the member removed alone, and the 

 member gone, the vessels are no longer need- 

 ed. So too with tlie insect member — it gone, 

 the air tubes, could they remain, would be in 

 the condition of Othello. 



That this rea.soning is correct is shown in 

 the life history of tlie coniinon ants (formi- 

 cidiC), and the white ants (termitida) which 

 bite off their queen's wings after the mating 

 is over. This is done to protect against the 

 roving proilivities of her royal highness. Are 

 we quick to learn, if a simil ir need does not 

 beget a like operation in our own manage- 

 ment ? 



Tlie history of these ants also shows that 

 there is little danger from hereditary tenden- 

 cies, as we never see virgin queen ants void 

 of wings. Else we might pause in alarm 

 since Mrs. Tupper and her followers have 

 failed to convince tne general public that fer- 

 tilization in continoment is practicable. 



Hence, we see that a thorough understand- 

 ing of the anatomy and physiology of the 

 respiratory apparatus of insects will preclude 

 Gen. Adair's nervousness as regards clipping 

 queen's wings, from becomin.' contagious. 



I do not wish to be understood as commit- 

 ting myself in favor of in liscriminate clip- 

 pin.j,for I readily concsde that arguments can 

 be advanced on the plea of beauty, and danger 

 of losing valuable queens in time of swarm- 

 ing. Yet I do hold tliat the (luecn receives no 

 physical injury, as proved both by scien -e 

 and experience, and tliat it is a valuable 

 auxiliary to those apiarists who are wise to 

 understand its dangers and advantages. 



Insects, in common with many animals 

 much higher in the scale of animal life. po.s- 

 sess that strange power to hibernate durin< 

 eold weather, at which lime they seem to be 



on the "dead line." just between life antl 

 death. In this (-ondltion the vital proces.ses 

 are held in almost entire suspense. No footl 

 is taken, the blood moves very feebly, and 

 little oxygen is re(iuireil. The condition is 

 something like i)rofouMd slfep. As there is 

 no e.xertion or exliausliou. and the breaking 

 down of tissues almost cease, while no doubt 

 there is a slow but continuous recuperation 

 of strength and energy. Is'ow, this being the 

 case, it seems highly jirobable, a.ye, almost 

 certain, that in the interims of productive ex- 

 ertion the more protracted the hibernation, 

 the better the condition of the animal. 



Now does it not liolil to reason that if we 

 secure the best conditions for wintering, those 

 wliieh will ensure persistent hibernation, as 

 indicated by the most i)erfect quiet, our bees 

 will need scarce a n.y air, and hence no venti- 

 lation either upper or lower. Reason pro- 

 claims t.his as a fact. My experience sustains 

 it. I have had colonies surrounded by snow 

 the winter through, with liives scaled with 

 propolis above, and the entrance below frozen 

 solid with ice, and in this condition from No- 

 vember till .\pril,come out in spring as bright 

 and beautiful as if only restful sleep had 

 visited them, with scarce any dead bees, and 

 hardly any consum))tion of honey. Hence I 

 believe we may conclude from our stud.y of res- 

 piration among insects, first, that the destruc- 

 tion of tracha* will of itself produce no harm; 

 that the onl.y harm will come through the 

 loss of the organ. And, second, that if bees 

 are in condition to winter best, the respira- 

 tory action is at the extreme minimum, and 

 hence we need take no pains to arrange for 

 ventilation. 



Conclusion from second inference. 



This being granted, what more important 

 problem awaits solution than a method of 

 wintering, which insures the most perfect 

 hibernation. How can we arrange to keej) 

 our bees always at the proper temperature? 



Then followed an essay written by H. 

 A Burcli, of South Haven, Mich., con- 

 cerning 



FACTS AND FANCIES OF APICUbTURE. — 



LETTER TO THE NOKTH-EASTERN BKE- 



KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. 



Genttemcn;— -By request of your worthy 

 secretary I will present you, thou<?h in a 

 necessarily hurried manner, a few thoughts 

 on the subject of apiculture. 



While recosniziuff the importance of the 

 work which bee-keepers' conventions are 

 aiming to accomplish, and appreciating the 

 great good they have already accomplished, 

 and being anxious that their field of useful- 

 ness may be greatly extended, it seems to 

 us tliat a consideration of this subject is one 

 which might result in good to us all. In 

 reviewing the history of apiculture in 

 America for the past decade, we find much 

 to encourage us hi our endeavors to estab- 

 lish our pursuit ujion a permanent, scienti- 

 fic basis. While this is the case, we cannot 

 deny that there is also very much that is to 

 be regretted, much that mars tlie otherwise 

 fair history of bee-culture. He who has at- 

 tentively read our various bee journals can- 

 not have failed to note the spirit of much of 

 their contents as being prejudicial to our 

 interests. How many ot us have, with a 

 sort of boyish impetuosity, urged people to 

 engage in bee-culture. To the man broken 

 down in healtli ; the man whose pocket 

 book was empty; he who had failed in 

 other callings ; those who were dissatisfied 

 with the slow but sure accumulations of 

 agriculture or mechanical trades ; to all 

 these have we i)ointed out apiculture, as the 

 one sure pathway that leads to wealth and 



