GLEAN IKGS IN BP^E CULTURE. 



Jan. 



" Some twelve years ago I crossed them with Ital- 

 ians. I found, that somehow large individual yields 

 almost invariably came from hybrid stocks, and these 

 of the first cmss —did not extend to further crossing. 

 Stick a pin in there, will you? I kept a good portion 

 of my stocks pure Italians, besides infusing fresh 

 blood into them; yet these brown bees, with a little 

 help outside, seemed determined that the Italians 

 should not wear all the finery, but must divide with 

 them. Some four years ago I commenced crossing 

 my Italians with Cyprians. Now let me say, I do 

 not have to protect my yellow bands. This state of 

 things was especially noticeable this season — they 

 have crowded out the hybrids wonderfully. This 

 power of prepotency they seem to have prominent- 

 ly. It must be this, or else this cross has produced 

 drones more active than others — perhaps both. 

 From the experience I have had, I should judge that 

 across of dark Italians with the brown bee would, 

 in a few generations, if not constantly supplied with 

 fresh Italian blood, produce nothing but brown 

 bees. Solid colors in crossing will always assert 

 themselves, other things being equal. Take, for in- 

 stance, the Plymouth Rocks. They are a cross of, 

 say, thirty years' standing, and yet a few years ago 

 they would throw a completely black chick now and 

 then, showing that the solid lAacl-; color of the Java 

 was still asserting Itself over the hawk color of the 

 Dominique. I have had the Plymouth Rocks for 

 many years, and have to use the utmost vigilance in 

 mating, to keep them near the standard. And I will 

 add, in closing, that they are a splendid bird, and 

 worthy of any pains one may bestow upon them. 

 No birds for sale." II. H. Mellen. 



Amboy-on-Inlet, 111., Jan. .5, 1884. 



HIBER THE GREAT NATURAl^IST. 



Also Something in Regard to Aut-ieut Bee- 

 Aiitliors in General. 



OLD BOOKS ON BEES. 



IF you can not procure a copy of Ruber ( noticing 

 in Gleanings of Dec. l.'j you want one ), I shall 

 be pleased to lend you mine. It was printed in 

 London, 73 Cheapside, 1841; has an abridged life of 

 the author, from De Caudville, "Life and Writings of 

 Francis Huber." A few extracts may be interesting 

 to the readers of Gleanings. 



He was born at Geneva, July 3, 17.50. At the age of 

 fifteen his sight began to be impaired, and in a few 

 years he became totally blind. When any one spoke 

 to him on subjects which interested his heart, his 

 noble figure became animated, and the vivacity of 

 his countenance seemed by a mysterious magic to 

 animate even his eyes, which had so long been con- 

 demned to blindness. He was married to Maria 

 Aimee Lelltise, the daughter of a Swiss magistrate, 

 and the marriage was in a high degree romantic. 

 The attachment had begun in their early youth, but 

 was opposed by the lady's father on the ground of 

 Huber's increasing infirmity. The alfcction and de- 

 votedness of the young lady, however, appeared to 

 strengthen in proportion to the helplessness of their 

 object. She declared to her parents, that, although 

 she would have readily submitted to their will, if the 

 man of her choice could have done without her; yet 

 as he now required the constant attendance of a 

 person who loved him, nothing should prevent her 

 from becoming his wife. Accordingly, as soon as 



she had attained the age (twenty-five years) which 

 gave her a right to decide for herself, she, after re- 

 fusing many brilliant offers, united her fate with 

 that of Huber. The union was a happy one. She 

 was spared to him forty years; and he says, as long 

 as she lived he was not sensible of the misfortune of 

 being blind. He died in the arms of his daughter, on 

 the 2;M of December, 18.31, in the 81st year of his age. 



He was a great naturalist — one of the greatest. 

 He confirmed the discovery of the origin of wax, 

 by experiments. He discovered the impregnation 

 of the queen bee, and made observations on retard- 

 ing the fecundation of queens beyond the twentieth 

 day, etc. The publication of his observations took 

 place in J 792. 



I have several other old works, some very quaint 

 and curious, and some very interesting, among 

 which are the works of Warden, published in 1749; 

 Thorley, 1744, and the work of the old bee-master 

 Butler, published in 1673. Also the work of Purchas, 

 printed in 1657. I will copy the title-page. It reads 

 thus: "Atheatreof Political Flying-Insects. Where- 

 in Especially the Nature, the Worth, the Wonder, 

 and the manner of Itight-ordering of the BEE, Is 

 Discovered and Described. Together with Discours- 

 es, Historical, and Observations Physical concern- 

 ing them. And in a Second Part are annexed Medi- 

 tations, and Observations ThenloQical and Moral, in 

 Three Coiturk's upon that Subject. By Samuel 

 Purchas, Master of Arts, and Pastor at Sutton in 

 Essex. Entered according to order. London, 

 Printed by R. I. for Tlioincis Parhhurst, to be sold at 

 his shop, at the Three Crowns in Cheapside, over 

 against the Great Conduit 16.57." Then comes six 

 pages of "The Epistle Dedicatory," followed by 

 "The contents of the several chapters," and "a list 

 of such Authors as are cite! and made use of in this 

 Treatise." The names of over three hundred authors 

 are given in alphabetical order; among them I notice 

 that of ^Esop, Aristotle, Columella, Hippocrates, 

 Homer, Sophocles, Josephus, Varro, Virgil, and 

 others. 



Frequently, during a dreaiy, rainy winter even- 

 ing, I get these old books out, and their curious get- 

 up is so new and strange, an hour or two or more is 

 profitably spent in examining, studying, and con- 

 templating the books and their authors. Long fs 

 for s, and big C's and T's connected. Do you think 

 your A B (' book will ever look as old-fashioned, and 

 behind in the art preservative, as these appear ? 



The minds of good women and great men frequent- 

 ly run in the same channel— they think alike. Peter 

 was the name given a son of Mr. and Mrs. Huber. 

 Did he not, too, become a naturalist, and write of 

 bees, ants, and wasps ? W. P. Henderson. 



Murfrecsboro, Tennessee, Dec. 24, 1883. 



Indeed, friend IL, we are much obliged to 

 I you for your kind offer. We thank you, be- 

 sides, for the glimpse you have given us of 

 the writers on bee culture centuries ago. 

 We have here in the office one or two works 

 over lOU years old. But when you speak of 

 going back to 16o7, you leave us.away out of 

 sight. By all means, loan us that book on 

 Huber. Send it by registered package, so it 

 will not get lost. If 1 understand you, it is 

 written in- English. Was it not first written 

 in another tongue, and then translated into 

 English, or have I been misinformed? I 

 should like the original, if we can get it, if 

 Ave can get a modern translation made. 



