982 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Longest Tongues. 



Dec. 15-.. 



For two years I have been advertising and 

 selling a superior strain of bees. I knew that 

 they were really superior, that they stored 

 more honey than any other strain of bees with 

 which I was acquainted, and that others who 

 had tried them had the same report to make ; 

 I knew that they were gentle and hardy, as 

 well as industrious, but just why they should 

 store more honey I was unable to decide. It 

 is possible that I do not now know why ; but 

 at last I have got a hint — they have very long 

 tongues. The average length of bees' tongues 

 is 16-100 of an inch, while these bees have 

 tongues 23-100 of an inch in length. Only 

 one other report has been made of bees having 

 tongues of this length. This breeder, who has 

 been furnishing me queens, has been breeding 

 this strain of bees for more than 20 years, al- 

 ways selecting the best to breed from, and, for 

 this reason, this trait, or peculiarity, that of 

 having long tongues, must have become fairly 

 well fixed — much more so than in that of 

 some chance sport. The discovery of this rea- 

 son for their superiority is the source of con- 

 siderable satisfaction to me. Heretofore I 

 could only assert that the bees were superior, 

 that they would store more honey, but I could 

 give no reason why, except that this trait had 

 been developed by years of selection and care- 

 ful breeding ; now I can say why, or, at least, 

 give a reasonable reason why. 



I wish to repeat what I have already said 

 several times ; viz., that it is impossible for a 



bee-keeper to invest a small sum of money to- 

 better advantage than by introducing this 

 strain of bees into his apiary. It will repay 

 him a hundred fold — perhaps a thousand fold. 

 In addition to their known length of tongue,, 

 there are also the additional traits of hardi- 

 ness and gentleness — something well worth 

 considering. 



To those who are thinking of trying thi& 

 strain of bees, I would say, don't wait until 

 next spring before sending in your order. 

 Last spring, when I began sending out 

 queens, there were orders on my books for 

 nearly 200 queens. Orders are already com- 

 ing in to be filled next spring. They will be 

 filled in rotation ; so, if you wish to get a 

 queen next spring, send in your order this 

 fall. The price of a queen is $1.50 ; but safe 

 arrival, safe introduction, purity of mating, 

 and entire satisfaction are all guaranteed. 

 The queen can be returned any time within 

 two years, and the money refunded, and 50' 

 cents additional sent to pay for the trouble. 



The REVIEW for this year and next (two 

 years) and one of these queens for only $2.00. 

 As soon as your order is received, the back 

 numbers for this year will be sent, and your 

 subscription put on the book to the end of 

 1901, and next spring the queen will be sent 

 you. 



I have many unsolicited testimonials as to 

 the superiority of this strain of bees. Here is 

 the last we received : 



Woodland, Ills., Nov. 20, 1900. 

 Mr. IV. Z. Hutchinson : — 



Can any more of those queens be purchased of you next season? The one 



I bought of you last June out-stripped every thing else in this vicinity. As a breeder, she certainly capped the 

 climax of any thing that ever came under my observation in the bee-line. And her offspring — well, they are 

 simply marvelous as workers. From her colony, in September, I extracted 65 lbs. of honey of the finest quality 

 and, remember, the honey season here was a very poor one. There are a number of apiaries in this vicinity, 

 and I do not know of one that will average 10 lbs. per colony. And I want to add right here that the cappings 

 of the honey in this colony were of snowy whiteness; and, to-day, as I put this colony in winter quarters, I find 

 the eight combs well filled and capped with that same snowy whiteness that was so conspicuous in the supers. 

 I stand ready to challenge any apiarist in this locality to produce bees the equal of these as honey-gatherers. 

 Two of my friends wish to get queens of this strain, and I certainly want more of them if they can be gotten. 



Yours respectfully, C. E. AURICK. 



Address all Orders to 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, 



FLINT, MICHIGAN. 



BEE-HIVES AND HONEY-BOXES. 



in car lots — wholesale or retail. Now is the time to get 

 prices. We are the people who manufacture strictly 

 first-class goods and sell them at prices that defy com- 

 petition. Write us today. 



Interstate Box & Manufacturing Co., Hudson, Wis. 



