1)4. THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 243 



ralities one could hope for. Every 20 pounds again. (Having to extract 



however, who tried them found from the bodies, as they had not as- 



iii spiteful stingers, and in all else cended into the supers. We have had 



JO worthless. So if this gentleman a bad season in England.) A neighbor 



; w condemns Funics, his judgment of the above gentleman's, I was in- 



(it to be relied upon from his hav- formed, took only 80 pounds of honey 



on former important occasions from six Italian stocks. In taking 



, ;ken without his book. the honey from the four Punic stocks, 



have been keeping Punic bees now I was not once assailed, the bees being 



six years, with increasing confi- most complacent after a few puffs of 



1 e in their splendid all-round qual- smoke in the mouth of the hive and 



I should be accused of exag- between the combs. 



tion if I were to let myself go I might observe here that I decline 



it those bees. I will, however, to believe Mr. Benton's statement 



. kavor to let them speak for them- about handling bees without a veil. 



.\es. I have had just over 200 of It is beyond belief that any race of 



}■. Hewitt's queens. Each stock bees armed with stings will permit 



I uied by a Punic queen I find de- themselves to be robbed without at- 



ps a working power equal to three tempting to retaliate, for one's breath 



ve or Italian stocks and upwards, is sure to invite attack even from half- 



ue 50 stocks now, and I would stupefied bees. 



exchange these for 150 native The gentleman owing the bees afore- 



ks. I keep my bees in a planta- mentioned explained that he was 



of firs, three miles from town. never attacked from his Pimic stocks. 



Air. Benton states that Punics are but that a footfall was sufficient to 



JIteful. How many bee-keepers call forth numbers of vigilant skir- 



Huld dare to keep four great stocks mishers from his other hives. To 



■olbees on twenty-four standard frames show his appreciation of these bees 



e;h, four yards away from their he invited me to destroy his three 



Ichen door? That is what I did native queens and bring him seven 



\:h four of my Punic stocks this more Punic queens (cross-mated, at 



anmer. The fences around my little five shillings each). Kept shaded, 



I'rden are only five feet high; but well-ventilated, and not unjustly rob- 



rne of my neighbors ever complain- bed, I can say without fear of suc- 



e of the proximity of the bees. I cessful contradiction that there is 



s for hours myself watching these no bee which approaches the ideal 



\ ole-hearted little workers tearing nearer than my well loved Punics. I 



i and out, oblivious of all else but say this after twenty years' experience 



t'ir own needs. with other races. Going back to any 



^or further proof let me relate that other race after keeping Punics would 



I old four Punic stocks to three dif- be like reverting to the stage coach 



f ent people in the same block. All after the railway. 



Ise people placed their bees in their However, of all the false statements 

 L:k gardens, and I have yet to hear made by Mr. Benton, with regard to 

 '' any mishaps arising from their so Punics, the falsest is that made with 

 ng. (Each of my above customers regard to their wintering qualities. I 

 l^ve families of young children.) have wintered dozens of colonies of 

 "en again I went this summer to these bees in single-walled hives on 

 t'e the honey for an elderly gentle- unsealed stores, and have not lost a 

 -r n to whom I had sold four of Mr. spoonful of bees per hive. I have 

 I'witt's queens the previous season, never had a case of dysentery' with 

 ad here from the first stock I took them yet. We have had a succession 

 tenty-two solid slabs of honey beau- of cold springs in England, and the 

 t illy sealed in standard frames, extreme hardiness of Punics has pre- 

 lom the other three stocks I took vented all appearance of spring 

 ' s:cessively twenty frames each, dwindling, 

 eially good. The honey was of Just to show briefly what can be 

 find quality — consistency, color and done with these bees I will cite d 

 fv'or. From the same gentleman's particular instance of their powers of 

 t ee stocks of native bees I took re- multiplication. In September, 1903, 

 S'ctively 25 pounds, 20 pounds and T mated a virgin queen I had from Mr. 



