18 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. L 



and the bee-kepper who has made a success 

 must be an enthusiast. 



BEES BETTEK THAX FARMING ; CAX BEE-KEEP- 

 ING BE MADE A SPECIALTY ? 



A lively discussion followed after Mr. Doolit- 

 tle sat down. It assumed all sorts of phases. 

 For instance, "Do bees pay better than farm- 

 ing?" The reply was made that it did. As to 

 whether it paid to make the bees a specialty, or 

 mix in other things, was also discussed in a 

 lively manner. While the majority evidently 

 seemed to think it did pay. a few insisted that 

 it did not. Capt. Hetherington was not sure 

 whethei' he was a specialist or not. When a 

 boy sixteen years old he wrote to Mr. Quinby. 

 asking whether he had better make bees a spe- 

 cialty. Mr. (}. advised him not to do so. and 

 suggested connecting it with dairying or school- 

 teaching. The captain asked us to note how 

 very few of the old bee-keepers who had made 

 bee-keeping a specialty had made it a success. 

 Mr. Doolittle was then asked the question as to 

 whether he was a specialist or not. He was 

 hardly prepared to say that he was. His main 

 business now was queen-rearing, while, years 

 ago. he produced comb honey. Why didn't he 

 do so now? some one asked. Because, years 

 ago. he got ;.'8 cents a pound, and now it has 

 come down to 13 and l.">. While queen-i"earing 

 paid him. he also thought the production of 

 honey would pay. even now. The feeling seem- 

 ed to prevail that it is not wise to embark in 

 liee-keeping hastily as a specialty. If you have 

 already something that pays you well, don't 

 dabble in bees. 



CONTROLLING SWARMING. 



A paper from W. F. Clarke was read, on the 

 pi'evention of swarming. By knowing the cause 

 we may bring about a cui-e. He asked. " Are 

 not our hives too small, oi' overcrowded ?'" and 

 added, '• Is not swarming a great deal like emi- 

 gration?" He believed in plenty of room, and 

 in keeping the hives in a shady place. 



Quite a discussion followed the reading of 

 this paper. Most of those present seemed to 

 acknowledge their inability to control swarm-, 

 ing. and some others averivd that they did not 

 care to do so— it is nature, and nature should be 

 gratitfed. because more honey is secured there- 

 by. It was easy enough to control swarming 

 when running for exinivicd honey, by the use of 

 Ijerforated zinc: but when it comes to the pi'o- 

 duction of comb hon<'y. it was another maitei'. 

 Thi' (|uestion then came up as to controlling 

 swarming by caging or i-emoving the queens, as 

 is practiced bv El wood. Hetherington. and A. E. 

 Manum. (i. M. Doolittle and .1. E. Crane could 

 not mak(> it work. President Elwood was then 

 called upon. Some varieties of bees, he said, 

 are much more inclined to swarm than others. 

 They ran about iK)U colonies for comb honey, 

 and thcM'e was not one strong colony out of all 

 tliat number that did not attempt 'to swarm. 

 Half of this number they suhse(]uently reduced 

 in strenglh. and from the other half they re- 

 moved the que(>ns. From the latter thev got 

 more honey. Mr. West succeeded in controlling 

 the desire to a very great extent by the use of 

 his(iueen-cell protectoi's— that is. he would de- 

 stroy all old queens just before the swarming 

 season, and insert crils from choice (juef'us in 

 his protectoi's in the colonies made (pieenless. 

 When the young iiueens got to hivinjr. the 

 swarming fever would be over. 



THE ITALIAN BEE. AND HOW SHAM, IT 1!K 

 MARKED? 



Mr. Knickeibocker I'ead an essay on the Ital- 

 ian bee. showing tli<' piincipal points of excel- 

 lence. Italians. In- .-aid. w oik earlier and later, 

 and iireed uj) earlici'. and store hoiiev in the 



brood-nest. As to which quality we should 

 give the preference, that depended upon cir- 

 cumstances. If we want bright colors, breed 

 for them: if we want honey, ])reed for honey 

 and good wintering qualities, rather than for 

 bright colors or particular markings. But Ital- 

 ians have certain general characteristics and 

 markings; and it would be very desirable to 

 have a standard that the National Association 

 could agree upon. It is now an undisputed 

 fact, he said, that many Italians have been 

 sent out that were mixed with Cyprian blood. 

 Italians must be Italians, and nothing else. 



A lively discussion followed the reading of 

 this paper. Many took the ground that a stan- 

 dard could not be made: and the point came up 

 as to whether the Italians are a pure race of 

 bees or hybrids. The dkscussion grew " redhot,'^ 

 as the boy said ; but every one " kept sweet." 

 Doolittle averred that the Italians were hybrid, 

 because they were so much inclined to sport, 

 and that the black bee was the only pure race. 

 Dadant and one or two others insisted that the 

 black bee was not a pure bee— that there were 

 varieties or sports of this I'ace. The discussion 

 waxed warm until a committee was appointed 

 by tbe chair to follow out Mr. Knickerbocker's 

 suggestions — that is. draw up a standard with a 

 scale of markings for recommendation to the 

 convention. This committee was composed of 

 G. H. Knickerbocker, G. M. Doolittle, C. P. Da- 

 dant, and .1. E. Ci'ane. When the committee as- 

 sembled, the old bone of contention was renew- 

 ed, and they took sides, neither party being 

 willing to yield to the other. I longed for a 

 Kodak, or something to photogra])h them. It 

 was a real sight to see them argue with their 

 index fingers pointed toward each other. They 

 finally compromised matters very nicely, and 

 the report, with one or two amendments as 

 adopted by the convention, is as follows: 



WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ITALIAN BEE';' 



Italian liees must adhere to the combs when proi)- 

 erly liandled, and not cluster about, or i-usli around 

 and fall to the ground. They nuist have tliree 

 liands, of a color ranging- from golden yellow to 

 leather coloi'. They must he quiet when well han- 

 dled, and in time of scai'city must place their honey 

 in a compact shape. 



SCHEDVLE OF MARKING. 



Comb-building, 10. Wintering, 15. 



Honey-gatheiing, 35. Gentleness, 10. 



Proliflcness, 15. Color, 5. 



APICULTURE AT THE C()LUMBL\N EXPOSITION. 



A paper was read by Dr. Mason, on the out- 

 look of apiculture at the Columbian Exposition. 

 From it we learned that all exhibitors are to be 

 on the ground by April 1. 1893. and that each 

 State, for its honey-exhibit, would be allowed 

 only 100 .square feet. Colorado bee - keepers 

 alone had applied for 1000 square feet. This 

 was a poser. In the discussion which followed, 

 it was urged that we ask for tuore space, as 1(X) 

 square feet per State would be insufficient. But 

 over against thisit was urged that all the States 

 would not attempt to make an exhibit of honey.' 

 and their apportioiuuent of space would go to 

 help make up the allotnu'Ut of the States that 

 did wisli to exhibit. Dui'ing the cour.«e of the 

 discussion. Capt. Hetherington. wlio has had 

 much experience, told us. in a very intei'esting 

 way. of the honey-exhihit wliich he pi-epared 

 for the Centennial in ISTCi — an exhibit wliich at- 

 tracted so general attention at the time. He 

 gave us many interesting suggestion^ — sugges- 

 tions which the commitiee will probably make 

 use of. A committee of tliree. consisting of Dr. 

 Mason, P. H. Elwood, and Hon. .1. ^V. Hain- 

 baugh. with Dr. ]Mason as chaii'inan, was ap- 

 IJointed to confer with the |iroper authtirities of 

 the exposition at Cliiciigo. with reference to an 

 apiarian exhibit at the World's Fair. As here- 



