THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



the result will be one enormous strong 

 colony. Plenty of sections must, be 

 placed on the hive to furnish storage 

 room for all the honey such a large num- 

 ber of bees would gather. 



The above is one of the ways of the 

 new system. The other is the Hed- 

 don method, which is to remove two 

 or more fuU colonies, and after placing 

 a queen and a few bees in an empty hive 

 well supplied with sections and frames 

 having " starters" the bees are given a 

 chance to enter it and go to work. 



In a future issue of the Api this plan 

 will be given in detail so that all will 

 thoroughly understand it and take ad- 

 vantage of the new system the coming 

 season. 



SOMETHING ABOUT FIVE-BANDED BKES. 



Several parties who deal in five-band- 

 ed Italian bees were terribly put out with 

 the Api for its editorial opinion of the 

 merits of these bees. About every is- 

 sue of G/fii/iiiios says much worse things 

 of five-banded bees than was ever ex- 

 pressed in these columns. As the Api 

 is not a political organ of any party, its 

 readers should be considerate enough 

 to accept its opinions as being honest 

 and impartial. No opinion given in 

 this paper is intended to injure anyone 

 or the business of any persons. The 

 columns of the Api are open to any bee- 

 keeper who has any thing worthy of 

 mention and all are requested to use 

 them for the benefit of the beekeeping 

 public. 



A good deal of very interesting mat- 

 ter concerning Punic bees will be given 

 in the Api during the winter months. 

 Many almost incredible features pecu- 

 har to the Punics only will be described. 

 There are one or more things credited to 

 this new race that must be demonstrated 

 in the Hay State apiary before the Api 

 dares to claim they are flicts. The Api 

 is not permitted just yet even to hint at 

 some of the wonders that will soon be 

 made public concerning the Punics. 

 Watch its columns and see whether or 

 not this is all talk. 



WHATS IN A NAME!" 



While certain parties are disputing 

 over the definition of the word" Punic" 

 it may be well to consider for a mo- 

 ment what that word signifies so far as 

 affecting the good or bad features of 

 the bees called Apis niger. Let the 

 name go to the dogs, leave it out of the 

 discussion altogether. 1 lave the bees 

 styled Punics any good qualities ? Are 

 they as good as is claimetl for them? 

 Have they features and qualities not pos- 

 sessed by other races ? With one ex- 

 ception, so far as the writer has ob- 

 served, all reports have been favorable. 

 The exception was that they "are no 

 better," — but just as good — than other 

 races, so no damaging reports have 

 been made by anyone. Some of the 

 largest and best colonies of bees in the 

 county of Essex, Mass., are Punics. 

 Unless the winter is a most unfavorable 

 one for bees there will be at least sever- 

 al hundred colonies of Punics in North 

 America at the opening of the season of 

 1892. The good qualities of these bees 

 have been stated in the Api. Not one 

 statement will be modified. Experi- 

 ence with these bees only strengthens a 

 former good opinion of them. 



The controversy growing out of the 

 introduction of this wonderful race of 

 bees is much to be regretted. It is 

 indeed unfortunate. Mr. Cowan says 

 he has begun, or is about to begin suit 

 against some one for libel, all growing 

 out of the Punic discussion. 



It is the duty of the publications de- 

 voted to bee culture, to aid and en- 

 courage the introduction of new races 

 of bees and to do everything possible 

 for the advancement of apiculture. 

 Just the reverse of this has been the con- 

 dition the entire year. The Api does 

 not "sit down" on |)rogress. Both sides 

 of all questions will be given. The ed- 

 itor has the courage to back up his con- 

 viction. 



The British Bee Journal still adheres 

 to its opinion that it knows of no such 

 race of bees as the Punics. In a long 



