1881. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



35 



Kiwlml, Tlint the Farmers' Horn,- .rournoLol 

 Louisville, be the "metal State organ, ami thai 



the I I permit our Slate are requested to write 



noon- aiul papers from time to time to he pub- 

 loo, eO In BUtd ofeclRl organ, ami that all are reques- 

 ted to subscribe tor It. 



The committee on resolutions offered 

 the following, which were adopted: 



KfsnlTfti, That the thanks of this association be 

 tendered t'ol. Minrtnness and the manat-ersot the 

 Louisville Exposition lor courtesies tendered the 

 ...invention, and fin the use of the press room to 

 hold li- sessions in. That the thank- of this -oci- 

 etv are due Col. I. B. Null, editor of the Pawners' 

 Honu Jowrnal, for publl-hlng the programme, ana 

 not ho- oi the meeting In ins valuable paper, mat 

 we appreciate the reports of bees and honey, us 

 made liv Commissioner Bowman, of the Bur ail ot 

 Agriculture lor Kentucky. And thanks are due to 

 the citv paiiers for publishim: items of interest ot 

 Convention. To the ofBeers of this society tor 

 their efTorts to make this meeting both plea-ant 

 and protltnhlc. That the Farmers' Horns Journal 

 and the AMKIUOAN BEE JOURNAL be requested to 

 publish the proceedings of this meeting. 



Re.soh'ed, That we recommend to farmers una 

 bee-keepers the importance of preserving honey 

 producing trees, shrubs and plants for shade and 

 ornamental purposes, and that we recommend the 

 olunting of such trees as llnden.poplarand maple as 

 sreiilo tree- upon the farm and along the roadside. 



f?es,Wi'e,l That we recommend to bee-keepers in 

 Kentucky and southern Indiana to winter bees on 

 the summer stands with blankets or light chatT 

 cushions over the brood chamber. 



On motion of Mr. Williamson, the 

 Central Bee-Keepers' Association was 

 consolidated with this Association. 



The next meeting will be held in 

 Louisville, the executive committee 

 to lix the time. 



On motion. Mr. Win. Cook was re- 

 quested to write and publish in the 

 Farmer*,' Home Journal an article on 

 " Who shall keep bees ? " 



On motion, it was requested that all 

 members of the Society add to the 

 membership by getting the names and 

 fees, and forward same to the treas- 

 urer. , i 



The meeting adjourned, to meet at 

 the call of the executive committee. 



Read before the National Convention. 

 Origin of our Present Races of Bees. 



E. K. HASTY. 



The configuration of the eartli into con- 

 tinents or islands lias played an important 

 part in adjusting the present species of 

 living creatures that dwell on the earth. 

 In North America, for instance, we have 

 a curious duplication of species, which is 

 well exhibited in the different species of 

 deer. We have two species of red deer, 

 two species of black-tailed deer, two spe- 

 cies of elk, and two species of reindeer. 

 The key to this peculiarity seems to lie in 

 the fact that in remote ages, our continent 

 was divided into two continents, Canada 

 and Colorado, with a shallow sea between 

 them. Similar, but not quite identical 

 species grew up on the two continents ; 

 and then when the Mississippi valley be- 

 came dry land, and united the two conti- 

 nents into one, we were provided with a 

 duplicate lot. 



The Canadian species seem generally to 

 have proved much more vigorous than the 

 Coloradan, teaching us how the Canadian 

 bee-keepers will "clean us all out" if we 

 don't " mind our eye." The Canadian red 

 deer has driven the Coloradan red deer 

 almost into the Pacific ; a limited terri- 

 tory around Acapulo, in Mexico, contain- 

 ing all there is left of the species. The 

 Canadian black-tailed deer, retreating it- 

 self before the red deer, has driven the 

 Coloradan black-tailed deer over the 

 mountains into Oregon. The Canadian 

 moose, however, not fond of prairies, has 

 left the Coloradan elk pretty much undis- 

 turbed. , . , 



Turning now to the subject proper, we 

 note that around the cradle of the human 

 race in Armenia, Syria and Egypt, 3 great 

 continents converge. It is not to be ex- 

 pected that eacli continent would have Us 

 characteristic bee. It is also presumable 

 that along the border lines the three prim- 

 itive races would, in different proportions, 

 mingle with each other, forming in the 

 process of time additional races. This is 

 the gist of the present paper : The Cau- 

 casian, the Palestine, the Egyptian, the 

 Cyprian and the Italian bees formed by 

 varied crossings of the three primitive 

 bees of Europe, Asia and Africa. 



The primitive bee. of Europe is the well 

 known black or German bee, so familiar 

 that we need not waste words upon it. 

 The Asiatic bee we will assume (but not 

 with entire confidence), to be the Apis In- 

 dica. Central Asia, like South Africa, 

 seems to have been for long ages drying 

 up, and changing to desert, and possibly 

 the primitive bee we are looking for has 

 become extinct, or nearly so. At any 

 rate, we need not accept the Apis Indica, 

 as Mr. Benton saw it in Ceylon. In that 

 quarter of the globe, it may have been de- 

 based somewhat by crossing with Apis 

 florea. A traveler (whose name I cannot 

 at this moment give), lecturing before a 



Michigan society, gives us the best sight 



of our object. He states that the natives 



of the isle of Formosa, off the coast ol 

 China, have a yellow -banded bee 01 such 

 gentleness that they allow the bees two 

 entrances, one opening inward into the 

 house. The hives are built into house 



walls, as in other countries, as a security 

 against theft. I take it that in this far off 

 eastern island wo have the Asiatic bee, or 

 Apis linlica, in its finest and purest straiu. 



If we want this bee, Formosa would be 

 just the place to send for it. It is the only 

 place yet reported where it is regularity 



kept as a domestic bee. We may, without 

 very great uncertainty, describe the prim- 

 itive Asiatic as a yellow-banded bee, 

 somewhat smaller in size thah either the 

 German or theAfrican, very energetic and 

 prolific, but too much given to swarming, 

 and willing to live in colonies too small 

 for the best results in honey culture. 

 Hi-ones of this race are dark colored. The 

 -trong point of the race seems to be their 

 wonderful disinclination to sting— ap- 

 proaching almost to the heroic forbear- 

 ance which so surprises us in ordinary 

 queens. The workers, when on the wing, 

 are very quick and agile, contrasting 

 strongly with the somewhat blundering 

 movements of the Germans and Italians. 



The African bee, if I am correct, is only 

 known to us by means of its first cross, 

 the Egyptian bee. Most likely the pure 

 race could readily be found in the wilds 

 of Soudan or Abyssinia. Although an in- 

 visible element of our calculation, we will 

 read his character thus : A little larger 

 than the Asiatic, and like that race yel- 

 low banded, prolific and vigorous ; it is 

 the exact opposite of the Asiatic in tem- 

 per—a perfect fiend, in fact, who seems to 

 have got his manners by associating with 

 the king of Dahomey. As some of our 

 composite bees have yellow drones, and 

 both the other primitive races have black 

 drones, I should assume that the drones of 

 the African race are yellow. 



Having now our three elements, we will 

 try to trace the probable method of mix- 

 ture. Reverting for the moment to For- 

 mosa, we remark that if aborigines can 

 keep bees now, we may suppose that they 

 could keep bees 4,000 years ago. Bee- 

 keeping probably began in Asia at a very 

 early date, and with the gentle Asiatic bee 

 that seems to have been made on purpose 

 to be handled. But who carried the art to 

 other Continents, to Egypt and Carthage 

 and elsewhere ? Most likely the Phoeni- 

 cians, those universal Yankees of the early 

 ages, disseminated both the idea of bee- 

 keeping and the Asiatic bee. The gentle 

 bee thus introduced into the north of Af- 

 rica, was soon crossed and almost over- 

 whelmed by the diabolical native bee, pro- 

 ducing the present Egyptian race that ex- 

 tends along the north of Africa as far as 

 Morocco. We mav reckon the Egyptian 

 bee as one-third Asiatic, nearly two-thuds 

 African, and a slight dash of German, ob- 

 tained by way of Syria. . .. , 



Meantime, the German and Asiatic bees 

 were meeting at the boundary line of their 

 territories, in the Caucasus, and forming a 

 new race without human intervention. 

 We may reckon the Caucasian bee as one- 

 half German and one-half Asiatic, without 

 any admixture of the African. This bee 

 seems to have taken the mild disposition 

 of its Asiatic parent almost without 

 change. A traveler speaks of repeated 

 efforts to get a sting from them, all end- 

 ing in failure, until, having reached the 

 region of the Black Sea, he got the cove- 

 ted sting by getting down on his hands 

 and knees and blowing into a hive. Even 

 then he reflected that he was outside of 

 Caucasus proper, and probably the bees 

 were not pure. Excess in the building ot 

 queen cells, and in swarming, seems to be 

 the weak point of this race, a hundred 

 queen cells having been found in a hive 

 at one time. Professional bee-keepers 

 have no occasion to import the Caucasian, 

 but I am impressed with the idea that 

 some of our people would like it. Many 

 persons who have not the time to keep 

 bees, by rule, would be glad to raise honey 

 for their own tables, and either this bee or 

 the pure Asiatic may prove best adapted 

 to such. Letting bees Increase from one 

 hive to a dozen during the summer, and 

 closing out half of them to appropriate 

 their stores in the fall, is not very pro- 

 gressive or very elevating business, but 

 perfectly legitimate, nevertheless. I know 

 some of our bee folks will serowl at tins 

 suggestion, but, as the cook remarked 

 about skinning eels alive, "they're used to 

 it." Doubtless in the Caucasus bees are 

 never kept in any other way. 



In early times, the bees of the Holy 

 Land evidently partook very strongly of 

 the African type. The Scriptures, which 

 speak so highly of the ant, never mention 

 bees with admiration or approval, but re- 

 peatedly advert to their ferocity. These 

 early bees were wholly wild. The change 

 to the present Palestine bee was effected 

 by means of three different infusions of 

 blood— wild bees of the Asiatic race from 

 the northeast, the domestic bees brought 



to Phoenicia, and German blood, which, in total failure in his occupation; but 



the course of cent lilies, worked down from 

 Ihe north. We may reckon the present 

 Palestine race as one sixth German, fine- 

 half Asiatic, and one-third African. Their 

 rapid movements show plainly a large 



percentage of Asiatic blood, and their 

 warm temper points pretty strongly to 

 Africa. . „ 



Along the line from the Caucasus to Ve- 

 nice, a pretty lengthy bonier, we find va- 

 rious sub-races, which may be regarded as 

 second crosses— more German blood ad- 

 ded to the Palestine or the Caucasian, or 

 to both combined. 



Cyprus, having already some Germans 

 in a wild state, seems to have imported 

 domestic bees from Egypt, after the stock 

 there had been pretty badly Africanized, 

 The climate is a trying one, and the sea 

 has kept off all recent infusions of blood, 

 and the result is one of the most fixed and 

 uniform of the composite races. We may 

 reckon them as one-sixth German, one- 

 third Asiatic, and one-half African. I wish 

 to mention the interesting fact, contribu- 

 ted, I believe, bv Mr. Henderson, of Ten- 

 nessee, that before a Cyprian bee had been 

 brought to America, bees practically iden- 

 tical in markings and temper, were pro- 

 duced from Italian parentage. This shows 

 that the original ingredients of the two 

 races are similar, the diversity being 

 caused mainly by the ingredients being 

 mixed in different proportions, and by 

 climatic influences. 



The possession of Italy by a yellow- 

 banded race is geographically a little cu- 

 rious. I surmise that some bee-disease, 

 or some great drouth had nearly extermi- 

 nated the original German race from 

 Italy just before domestic bees were 

 brought in. These latter were probably 

 brought from Carthage, a voyage which 

 with favorable winds was sometimes made 

 in 3 days. The imported bees multiplied 

 so greatly that they were able to form a 

 nearly equal cross with the decimated na- 

 tives. This, if we have figured theEaypt- 

 ian race correctly, would make the Italian 

 bee one-half German, one-sixth Asiatic, 

 and one-third African. Repeated experi- 

 ments in careful hands have shown that 

 an even cross between the Egyptian and 

 German does produce indubitable Ital- 

 ians. 



Reports from time to time have ap- 

 peared, that long before any Italians were 

 brought to America, there were yellow- 

 banded bees in the forests of Arkansas. 

 Such stories were promptly poh-pohed 

 dowu ; but like the well worn ghost of 

 tragedy, they won't stay down ; ever and 

 anon the same statement comes again. 

 The last one, which was an article in 

 "Gleanings" of not many months ago, 

 was, perhaps, the most definite of all. The 

 bees were in some respects a superior race. 

 Their colored bands were redder than the 

 Italian bands ; and what is most start- 

 ling, as it is just what might be expected 

 of an oriental race, the bees themselves 

 were smaller than other bees. Did the 

 Phoenicians, when they reached our Paci- 

 fic shores 3,000 years ago, bring their bee 

 with them ? And did the bee, after be- 

 coming extinct in Mexico, still survive in 

 the more favorable climate of the Red 

 River country ? Surely, after finishing up 

 Ceylon and Java, we might brace our- 

 selves to the task of exploring dark and 

 distant "Arkansaw." Cannot the Associa- 

 tion find somebody— a reckless fellow who 

 don't count his life much, and so steeped 

 in tobacco that cannibals won't eat him, 

 who will go and see if they still have the 

 bee of queen Dido and king Ethbaal ? 



In conclusion, I would remark that 

 much of the ground traversed in this essay 

 is ground from which positive data cannot 

 be collected. The hearer will understand 

 that positive assertion is not intended, 

 even when the language takes the form of 

 assertion, instead of the form of hypothe- 

 sis. Theories have their uses as well as 

 demonstrations, and as plausible theory, 

 I commend these deductions to the au- 

 dience. 

 Richards, O. 



Overstocking— Marketin g. 



At the District Bee-Keepers' Asso- 

 ciation of Southern California, Presi- 

 dent J. E. Pleasants gave an address, 

 of which the following is a synopsis : 



It gives me great pleasure to wel- 

 come you on this occasion. United as 

 we are by a common interest in all 

 that appertains to bee-culture, let us 

 greet each other with pleasant smiles 

 and sincere congratulations. 



We have come from all parts of the 

 district, not only to have a happy re- 

 union, but also to debate on what will 

 interest us all. 



The year of 1881 will be recorded by 

 the California bee-keeper as almost a 



should that discourage him ? Should 

 that make him give up a business for 



which he has been fur same time per- 

 fecting himself: and for which, per- 

 haps, lie is peculiarily adapted? N'o ! 

 L'ersevei'Uiioe, dexterity and economy 

 will bring us success in almost every 

 legitimate business in which we en- 

 gage. 



Gentlemen, one of the most import- 

 ant subjects for us to discuss is, "Over- 

 stocking our range With bees." Can 

 it be done? 1 say it can. with bees as 

 well as with animals. I am well aware 

 that during our sage and sumac har- 

 vest it would require a huge number 

 of colonies to gather all the nectar 

 from the millions of flowers that 

 bloom in our mountains ; but as this 

 great How of nectar does not continue 

 very long, it is unwise to have more 

 bees than can go on with brood-rear- 

 ing after the sage, sumac and buck- 

 wheat have ceased to bloom, or before 

 they come in bloom. I think thatitis 

 admitted by some of our principal 

 apiarists that a given point can be 

 overstocked, and those that are fortu- 

 nate enough to count their colonies by 

 the hundreds, divide them into sepa- 

 rate, apiaries. 



This season of drouth, though very 

 hard on the. majority of bee-keepers, 

 will, I hope, teach us this— not to push 

 our honey on the market all at once, 

 but to hold for more remunerative 

 prices. 



When it comes to the quality of 

 honey, Southern California need not 

 blush to compare her honey with that 

 which is produced in any other part 

 of the world. It is acknowledged in 

 all markets where it has been tried 

 that California honey is unsurpassed. 

 We have the quality, and on an aver- 

 age we have, the quantity 



Having the best honey in the world, 

 let us put it on the market in a good, 

 neat and suitable package, thereby 

 creating such a demand for our honey 

 that the doleful cry of overstocking 

 the market will be changed to the 

 cheerful inquiry of, " How is the de- 

 mand to be supplied r " To me. the 

 future prospect of the California bee- 

 keeper was never more promising than 

 now. In the near future, apiculture 

 will not be a game of chance as it has 

 been in the past. A few good seasons 

 and proper management will enable 

 us to issue from darkness into light, 

 therefore let us 



Faint not! for to the steadfast soul 

 Come wealth and honor and renown. 



In looking over this assembly, I see 

 but few of the fair sex. Why is it so? 

 Are we all bachelors, or still worse, 

 woman-haters? No! Most fervently 

 I hope that neither charge can be laid 

 at our door. 



Let us in the future induce as many 

 ladies to attend as we can ; also invite 

 them to take part in our discussions. 

 You all are aware that in England the 

 President of the British Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, Mrs. Burdette-Coutts 

 Bartlett, is a lady whose fame is 

 world-wide. In the United States, 

 some of our best apiarists are ladies. 

 I am confident that by exerting our- 

 selves, we could induce the ladies to 

 grace our Conventions. 



Before closing, allow me to say that 

 it is my great desire that peace and 

 harmony may prevail during our Con- 

 vention, and that the time spent here 

 may be both profitable and pleasant, 

 so that when the time comes for each 

 one of us to go our different paths, we 

 may have nothing to regret, but that 

 we have to part. 



<HT The Michigan State Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association, will convene at Bat- 

 tle Creek, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 1881. 

 We have reason to expect one of the 

 largest and most interesting meetings 

 we have ever held. Let all arrange 

 to be present. All District Associa- 

 tions should send delegates. Each per- 

 son should come with their best ex- 

 perience in their hands, ready to hand 

 it over to the others of the fraternity. 

 Commutation rates are expected on 

 railroads. A. J. Cook, Pre*, 



T, F. Bingham, Sec, 



