112 



T ;' THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



Juni 



TO TEST NECTAR, AND POLLEN- 

 YIELDING PLANTS. 



Scientific Investigations to Be Conducted'by the Na- 

 tional Department of Agriculture, in California- 

 Special Agent in Apiculture. John M. Rankin, off 

 to His New Field of Labor. 



By Prof. Frank Benton, in Charge of Apicul- 

 ture, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



TO THE EDITOR of the American 

 Bee-Keeper: 



In the autumn of 1903 while 

 traveling in California, I learned, that 

 agents of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture were locating an experimental 

 garden for plant introductioin in the 

 Sacremento valley. The thought occur- 

 red, to me at once that it woaild be a 

 splendid thing to undertake observa- 

 tions a-s to the honey-producing capaci- 

 ties of all the new plant introductions 

 which are being made there extensive- 

 ly by this Department. Upon my re- 

 turn to Washingtoni, I immediately 

 consulted with Dr. Gallo-way, Chief of 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry, and also 

 with Dr. L. O. Howard, Chief of the 

 Division of Entomology which has 

 since been developed into a Bureau. 

 Both of these gentlemen were very 

 favorably disposed toward the scheme. 

 The time for the execution of it has 

 now ari'ived and at my suggestion one 

 of my assistants, Mr. J. M. Rankin, 

 has been commissioned to proceed to 

 Chico, California, to conduct these ob- 

 servations as well as carry on "some ex- 

 periments under the direction and in- 

 structions given him from this office 

 by myself. A small apiary will be es- 

 tablished at once at the Plant Intro- 

 duction Garden. Various races of bees 

 now in this country will be represented 

 in this apiary, and \ery possibly other 

 types. Avhich it is hoped may be ob- 

 tained in the near future, will be test- 

 ed under conti-ol there. At the outset, 

 the main purpose, however, will be to 

 make observations as to the honey and 

 pollen yielding capabilities of all 

 plants, which may come under the 

 notice of the apiarist, in order to de- 

 termine, in so far as possible, their 

 availability in filling gaps in the honey 

 and pollen yields in other portions of 

 the country. New introductions made 

 by ourselves will also be tested in this 

 way. Some general field work in con- 

 nection with bee diseases will be un- 

 dertaken, and later, should laboratory 



facilities be established, a mo) 

 thorough investigation of bee-paralyg 

 and other contagious diseases enter» 

 upon. 



There is a wide field for valuali 

 work in this connection. The climi 

 and resources of the great West, s 

 particularly the semi-arid regions 

 the country, requiring very diffe 

 treatment from the other portions, 

 is therefore deemed advisable to git 

 this special attention to thiose poiilo 

 of the country. And I earnestly i 

 quest the hearty co-operation of 

 bee-keepers, who may be situated so 

 to render an assistance in the condi 

 of this work, either through infora 

 tion, the sending of specimens, or mi 

 ing such tests as we may find it ! 

 visable to require. 



Washington, D. C, May 15, 1905. 



PROGRESSIVENESS. 



Not a Distinguishing Feature of Modern Apiarld 



By Arthur C. Miller. 



OF ALL BRANCHES of rural 

 probably none is less advan 

 than that of beekeeping. T 

 statement may sound rash and unv 

 ranted, yet I believe I can show 1 

 be true by simply stating a few 

 the happenings and practices in 

 culture to-day. 



Bees swarm, but why? We ha^s 

 score of theories but nothing defii 

 Bees raise queens under several 

 ditions but what are the real stim 

 If we only knew, then queen rea 

 at the ownei*'s option would be sin 

 Queens lay drone eggs at sundry tii J, 

 why? Bees elect to rear drones at le 

 time and not at another, why? 1 ifl 

 winter well or ill, because why? 8, 

 there are a hundred speculations it 

 show me a scientifically accurate sl e- 

 ment in regard to any part of it. ' 

 knows or has ever taken the pain 

 learn the food value in heat-gij] 

 power of the stores of the colon] 

 WhiOi knows definitely the i 

 economical size of colonies for wli 

 ing? Who can tell why bees wll 

 fuse one queen and accept anot 

 What causes the bees to build d 

 comb in one place and worker in 

 other? What is there about the b 

 food that changes worker larva 

 queen? Why does one colony 



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iJiji 



