134 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



July, 



normal specimens either too large or carrying- of heavy loads; length of 

 too small. An agerl "M. D." once ran proboscis, enabling the bee to reach 

 a series of articles in one of America's nectar in blc-^soms ont of the reach 

 bee papers on "How to Rear Good of some other bees of the same apiary. 

 Queen Bees," which, when simmered I have never stretched the measur- 

 down. was found to be simply this: ing line upon the proboscis of a dead 

 Bigger the hive the queen is reareil Lignrian, but I have lifted hives from 

 in, bigger the queen. Bigger the their stands, and when I find one that 

 <iueen, bigger the colony around her. pulls dciwn like lead and other com. 

 Bigger the colony, bigger the honey paratively light, I must look into the 

 crop. Probably if sufficient years had cause of the difference. If the colonies 

 been allotted him if his theory was are of equal strength, workers about 

 correct, he would have had queen bees the same age, queens ditto. I must con. 

 the size of our P. R. hens. But Baron elude that there is excellence in one 

 Lieawful came in with the aid of gi-eat ca-se. and deticieucy in the other, 

 science and the X-rays and the doc- "Don't be too hasty in .iudgment, how- 

 tor's theory hasn't grown much since, ever, but Avatch such colonies for the 

 and I think the Baron did not use tlie whole season, and if such delinquent 

 "umbilical cord." does not redeem itself, there is om 

 My observation jiistifies the bold law, and the sentence of that law is 

 statement that a strain of Ijees can capital punishment. No dairymar 

 be produced, that can not in this lati- would think of keeping a cow thai 

 tude secure even their winter storeys yielded no proifit. No poultry mar 

 in an average .season, but will multiply would keep a strain of fowk that lai( 

 colonies beyond reasonable limit. In eggs but sparingly. We want mill 

 truth, excessive increase is a featxn-e from cow,s, eggs from poultry am 

 of insect life. With the honey bee all honey from bee.s. When either faili 

 the food for brood and adult must be in the ob.iect for which it is kept 

 brought in from without. Some one has it is man's province to step in and reg 

 estimated that 100 pounds of pollen ulate things for he has been givei 

 and honey are consumed by a colony "dominion over the beasts of the (field 

 of bees in a year. This would )n-ob- the fowls of the air and fishes of th' 

 ably be a hard matter to demonstrate .sea. and over every living thing tha 

 exactly, but I would guess the esti- moveth upon the earth." 

 mate was none too high. Insects In view of the progress made in thi 

 that find their food in readiness at last fifty years, as to the managemen 

 birth, without a parent's care, are of bees to obtain best results, som 

 mercifully kept in check by some other one is disposed to think there is but Hi 

 kind of insect or bird, and honey bees tie left to learn. But we have not ye 

 given to excessive breeding are kept even got the language of the bee. 

 in check by dying off in winter, or shall not attempt to tell how one be 

 lack of stores, in any latitude. In communicates to her sisters that sh 



a state of nature such monstrosities has found a hive of honey a hal [ 

 can not exist. But man steps in and mile or a mile away, without one brav 



feeds and the unproductive are allow- defender at its portals, and leads thei 



ed to multiply. "Don't expect a large unerringly to the spot; or one be 



increase and a large crop of honey has found some rich nectar-yieldin 



the same season," is an axiom among flora in a certain direction, the whol 



bee-keepers. colony will -soon know the fact an 



It has sometimes happened in my profit by the discovery. Or. in swara 



experience that queens thought in ing time, how do they decide whic 



spring to be good ones lost their heads shall go and which shall stay, whic 



before the autumn frovsts. We talk about are the leaders, when a swarm by 



tested and untested queens. No queen seeming understanding has decided tBi||j 



is fiilly tested until she is at least locate in some hollow tree, and aft€ JM; 



one year old; but the test, as applied a little circling around to see if a! 



ire ready, will start straight for tb 

 spot selected by a few? No circlin 



iliij 



iren 



by queen breeders, simply means test- 

 ed as to her workers progeny, wheth- 



er or not she is purely mated. But around then. Every bee is headed 1 



there are other qualities. For in- the same direction, and swift of foci|rii 



stance, the longevity of the Avorker must he be that can follow then ijtej 



bees; strength of wing, that allows the I have tried that little race myself i 



I 



tlBT 

 litlii 



