GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



J. P. Moore, Morgan, Ky., the well-known queen-breeder and honey-producer. 



J. P. MOORE AS HIS ASSISTANT SEES HIM 



DY J. E. JORDAN 



To the readers of Gleanings who have 

 not had the pleasure of knowing Mr. J. P. 

 Moore, the queen-breeder, I will try to give 

 a correct idea of him. If anybody should 

 come in at the Moore farm between the 

 hours of sunrise and sunset, and want to 

 talk to J. P. (as he is known) he would 

 have to keep moving all the time. He is on 

 the go constantly, and can keep at it longer 

 than any other man I ever knew. He is 53 

 years young, and looks about 38 — hair 

 slightly twinged with gray, and inclined to 

 curl. 



I really lielieve the I'eason for his activity 

 and youthful appearance is on account of 

 his good care of his stomach. Fruits of all 

 kinds, either conked or uncooked, come first 



in the morning and last at night. Wheat, 

 cooked and uncooked, is also a favorite with 

 him. 



Mr. Moore does not have much to say to 

 any one; but when a visitor begins to talk 

 bees he has hit a subject that he can talk on 

 from morning till night. It is a hard matter 

 to rutHe his temper. He is the best-natured 

 beekeeper you ever saw. Why? Because 

 he has the best-natured bees that you ever 

 saw. 



The secret of his success is due to his 

 ability to keep at it so long at a time. 

 Cleanliness is another of his great traits; 

 and every queen that goes out or every can 

 of honey that is sold, may be depended on 

 in that line. 



THE DANGER IN BREEDING EXCLUSIVELY FROM ONE STOCK 



BY W. A. H. (ilLSTRAP 



One of the first (juestions to puzzle the 

 breeder of bees is a choice between breeding- 

 one strain of bees or bringing breeders from 

 distant breeders. Like the Irishman, I say, 

 " Of all the exthrames, give me the middle' 

 one." 



To " line breed " fixes certain character- 

 istics as no promiscuo/s breeding Avill. By 



taking a few first-class colonies and keeping 

 their increase from crossing with other bees 

 one will in time produce a strain of bees 

 with a type different from any he is likely 

 to find. It is surprising how many distinct 

 strains are built up this way. 



It might do to let the matter of selection 

 st()|) at tliat if vitality could remain unim- 



