136 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



bigbears of the dreams of ye prophets, of those that knew not 

 whereof they spoke. But Avho-so-ever knew thereof and lives today 

 knows that the monstrosities were furnishing even yields per hive 

 that caused theories by the dozen, and they all fitted not one notch. 



This is not scientilic and was not experimental, but it got there 

 just the same in the upper stories of the hives. 



This same old queen lived the third and fourth seasons to be 

 used to raise queens from, to stand the chance of mating with 

 drones, the sons of their own sisters. After the old lady disap- 

 peared without even as much as asking the Old Hen "May I go?" 

 some of her daughters were tested or tried out on the queen line, 

 two had been tried before she was gone, and one was used with the 

 same trick of inbreeding and the establishment of characteristics 

 was followed up closely for seven years right there, and not having 

 room enough I had to go elsewhere. For ten years I heard from 

 customers that had queens of that stock and its influence. 



Just look at Dr. Bonney's statement, the substance being no im- 

 provement in the honey bee in ages. To that I say Dr. Bonney is 

 correct and way, way wrong. A few years ago I was programmed 

 to speak at a bee convention — "I^ow to Raise Better Queens." After 

 the announcement I said that heading is wrong: not how to raise 

 better bees, but how to raise more of the better class. The best 

 we have now are good enough to suit me. With Dr. Bonney I agree 

 that there has been no improvement in the honey bee by any record 

 since the beginning of time ; that there cannot be a greater even- 

 ness of product produced to that statement. I say there are lots of 

 lazy liars, too lazy and shiftless to produce that evenness in product 

 that we all want and many lyingly say, "It can't be done.' There 

 is where we differ, and I am not sure the doctor will not say, "Hen, 

 lets shake hands." 



When I saw an apiary that gave from not one pound of surplus 

 honey up to fifty pounds by the scales, and in two seasons every 

 hive had on two supers and some three, well filled, and every queen, 

 the daughter of the best one in the yard, other bees in the neighbor- 

 hood were not changed in color, breed, nationality, or any other 

 way, but this one apiary for five years was evened up quite close 

 on their average yield. Dr. Bonney will correctly say "there is no 

 improvement as in other animals or by the Mendalian theory." 

 That's true. He is right in full. Some others will say : How about 

 the selection part of it? There was not any of the selection there, 

 the hereditary law is there to be used, and was used. The results 

 were produced and can be given. A goodly number will say you 

 re-queened, that's where you improved the apiar}^. Are you sure? 

 How do you know that? Please answer me, Mr. So Sure About It. 

 How about the drone? What is he? Who is he? Who is his 



