AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



857 



Besloved, That the thanks of the 

 association be extended to C. C. Clemons 

 for his kindness in having the progamme 

 of the meeting printed, and sending 

 them to the members. 



Owing to the absurd, and it might be 

 said laughable reports of our meetings 

 by the press, a motion prevailed that an 

 Assistant Secretary be appointed at the 

 commencement of each meeting, whose 

 duty shall be to prepare a report of each 

 session for the press. 



The remainder of the afternoon was 

 spent, as is usually the case, in an off- 

 hand interchange of ideas relative to 

 apiculture. 



On account of a misunderstanding in 

 advertising the time of the meeting, the 

 attendance was not large, yet it was 

 evident that those who had taken the 

 time and means to meet with us, re- 

 turned to their homes satisfied that, all 

 things considered, the meeting was in- 

 teresting and profitable. 



The association thought best, by 

 changing the Constitution, to hold only 

 one meeting a year instead of two, as 

 heretofore ; the next meeting to be held 

 in the fall of 1898, at Pyrtel Springs, 

 Mo. P. Baldwin, Sec. 



« Italians vs. Native Bees "- 

 Clipping Queens' Wings. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY S. E. MILLEK. 



Every little while some fellow pops up 

 and sings the praises of the blacks, or as 

 some choose to call them the "native 

 bees," and I might say I cannot see why 

 the blacks are any more native than the 

 Italians, as both were orignally brought 

 to America. 



This time it is Mr. C. J. Robinson 

 (see page 698) — a man of more than 

 half a century's experience, and in all 

 that time he has not been able to see the 

 superior qualities of the Italians. Why, 



it takes the average bee-keeper of this 

 age less than a year to see the difference, 

 and discard the blacks. I have no ob- 

 jections to any one preferring the 

 blacks, but why preach that they are 

 superior to the Italians, or even equal, 

 when the great majority are on the side 

 of the Itatlians ? 



May I ask Mr. Robinson, why, if the 

 blacks are equal to the Italians, will 

 bee-keepers pay all the way from 70 

 cents to $10, and even more, for Italian 

 queens, while they can get black queens 

 for the asking, or at the most a very 

 small consideration ? Mr. R. may say 

 it is only a notion, or a mania, that peo- 

 ple have for Italian bees that causes 

 them to purchase queens at high prices ; 

 but to this I would say I hardly think 

 the average bee-keeper would sacrifice 

 dollars and cents, merely for the sake of 

 fashion ! 



Again, why have the so-called superior 

 strains of black bees, that have been 

 advertised in the various bee-papers, all 

 gone to the wall ? Are not the so-called 

 black bees often in reality hybrids ? We 

 have a few colonies that some might 

 call blacks, but they are in reality 

 hybrids, and are, as a rule, good work- 

 ers ; but when it comes to the Simon- 

 pure blacks, I want 'tother fellow to 

 keep them. 



Why don't some fellow claim that the 

 hazel-splitter that runs wild in the 

 woods eleven months in the year, is fed 

 corn sparingly for one month, and then 

 slaughtered, is as good as the improved 

 strains of swine — such as Poland China, 

 Berkshire, etc. ? For the farmer who 

 allows his hogs to roam in the woods 

 most of the time, no doubt the former 

 race is the one best suited to his needs, 

 as they will stand more exposure and 

 neglect. The same with horses, cattle 

 and poultry. Who'll be the next to 

 bring black bees to the front? 



CLIPPING THE WINGS OF QUEENS. 



"Malta" asks (page 698): "Is it 

 advisable as regards economy of labor 

 and anxiety on the part of the bee- 

 keeper ?" 



I should say it is ! M.'s apprehensions 

 that the swarm will become scattered 

 when they find the queen is not with 

 them, do not realize in fact ; and if the 

 queen is caged while the swarm is out, 

 the old hive removed and a new hive 

 put in its place, and the queen allowed 

 to run in with the swarm when they 

 return, I know of no way of swarming 

 or hiving that takes less time and labor, 

 and I have never noticed that swarms 



