1028 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



is only a few pound?-. Ten i^ounds would 

 be a rich Itarvest. Foreign hone}' is sold at 

 80 cts. to $1.00 per pound. 



The British Bee Journal, the American 

 Bee Journal, Gleanings, and Apiculture, of 

 Paris, are read and circulated in Shanghai, 



where the beekeepers (a dozen already) 

 seem to take a keen interest in beekeeping, 

 and, no doubt, will improve that ever inter- 

 esting branch of agriculture. 



S. Francis Xavier College, 



Shanghai, China. 



SOME OF THE REASONS WHY BEEKEEPING IN CHINA IS DIFFICULT 



BY C. A. PIERRON 



The study of beekeeping is most certainly 

 an interesting one. Practice is more attrac- 

 tive than a mere book knowledge of the 

 subject ; but both are what every beekeeper 

 must aim at to be really worthy of the ap- 

 pellation. Some of the numerous things re- 

 lating to a hive or to a colony of bees would 

 be better understood by the opening of a 

 bar-frame hive and by examining the con- 

 tents of it in detail, while some other facts 

 given in a book must be accepted in good 

 faith. They are the result of the patient 

 studies and researches of other people, and 

 with little trouble these good points can be 

 learned. Yet many passages are under- 

 stood only at a second or third or further 

 reading. But, notwithstanding the good 

 will of the author, a book cannot solve all 

 the difficulties arising before a beginner. 

 Even tliat " king " of books on beekeeping, 

 the ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture, cannot 

 enter into the fullest details of the subject ; 

 for if it did it would cease to be the most 

 popular book among beekeepers on account 

 of the superabundance of generally unnec- 

 essary explanations, or of facts applying 

 to too few cases to be given in a book made 

 for the greatest benefit of the brotherhood. 

 It is, therefore, important for every bee- 



keeper to set his brain to work to solve for 

 himself a number of questions that may 

 arise in his mind. 



Here in China a beekeeping enthusiast 

 with a " classic " on the subject at his 

 disposal may be thrown into utter con- 

 fusion capable of leading him to discourage- 

 ment. One of the great drawbacks of bee- 

 keeping in this country arises from the 

 fact that Chinese bees are smaller in size 

 than the common bees. Accurate measure- 

 ments taken from a certain number of na- 

 tive hives that had been cut thru gave the 

 following m.easures which I compare with 

 those found in books. 



America or Europe 

 Thickness of workex' combs, % in. ; 

 Worker-cells — 



Almost 5 to the inch ; 

 Drone-cells — 



About 4 to the inch ; 

 Space betiveen midribs — 



1 % in. to 1 % in ; 



China 

 almost 13-16 in. 



about 5% cells to an inch 



about 4% cells to an inch 



1 3-16 in. to 1% in. 



With such dimensions it is quite natural 

 that a lot of statements asserted in books 

 on beekeeping are found faulty for this 

 country. 



When starting the keeping of bees, tho 

 finding these insects rather small we thought 

 that what was true for Europe or America 



