sigOS. THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 255 



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FREE CAUCASIANS. allow, one hish-grade breeding qneen, 

 The following circular lias been re- mrf^^y mated and carefully tested. lu 

 eived from Dr. E. F. Phillips, acUng addition, several queens whose mat- 

 charge of Apiculture during the ings are not Icnown will be sent for 

 bsenee of Prof Benton: drone production, since drones are not 



affected bv the mating; all queens, 



DISTRIBUTION OF QUEEN BEES. however, will be from good stock, the 



It has been customary in the past number to depend on the supply at 



or the Bureau of Entomology to dis- ijjj„(j Phe breeder making the re- 



ribute a limited number of queen ^^^,est must give evidence of his ability 



•ees of the more rare varieties to bee- t^ 1.^^. „ood queens, must agree to 



:eepers. This distribution is not In- ^ffer at least 200 pure-bred queens a 



ended to be general, since that would y^ar for sale to the general public, 



»e impossible; and, to prevent mi-s- ^nd must not' ask for them an exorbi- 



mderstanding, the following method, tant price. It is the opinion of the 



o be used in all future distributions, Department that 20 per cent more 



s announced: than tlie current price for Italian 



It is desired that some of the less queens would be fair. It will also be 



ommon varieties which have proven expected that in future years the 



30 good may become more widely breeder-s will do their utmost toward 



mown among the bee-keepers of the the improvement in honey production, 



country, to take the place, in as far at the same |time maintaining tlie 



is possible, of the common black bees pm-ity of the races. The Bureau will 



md of certain strains of Italian bees be glad to aid breeders of this class 



rtThich seem to have deteriorated. to its utmost ability, but will not aid 



Carniolan bees are very prolific and jn any way a breeder who offers for 



ire. at the same time, gentle, and there gale or sells crossed hybrids of the 



are records to show that as honey pro- various races, except in the case of 



iucers they are excellent. The recent- imtested queens, and even in that 



i-Dtly introduced Caucasian bees, which ease, every possible effort .should be 



Mtiave attracted considerable attention, made to get pure matings. 



•iatare the most gentle bees known at the After this distribution, all inquiries 



are present time, and records of honey to the Bureau will be answered by 



ere production now coming in indicate that giving a list of reliable breeders, in- 



■' r, they are excellent. The Cyprian race, eluding those who have received stock 



-lie which has been criticised on account from the Government apiary; and the 



Mof its temper, ranks second to none nfime of any breeder who knowingly 



Titii in honey production. sends out inferior stock will be drop- 



fue- Of these races, the Carniolans are ped. It is not the purpose to interfere 



Isold in this country to some extent, with the private business of the per- 



•veand the Cyprians in less numbers; so sons receiving queens, but these pre- 



i far no queen breeder has offered cautions are taken to protect the bee- 



;y, Caucasian queens for sale, and there keepers of the country. 



is, without doubt, an opportunity for No applications for queens under 



a wide sale of these queens, as evi- other circumstances will be considered. 



denced by the requests which come to All applications will be considered in 



the Bureau of Entomology. the order of their receipt. 



The Bureau can do more toward the Yours respectfully, 



wider introduction of these races by L. O. Howard, 



inducing reliable men to take up rear- Entomologist, 



ing of pure-bred queens than by a Approved: 



more general distribution. It is not James Wilson, 



the purpose merely to give away Secretary of Agriculture, 



queens,, and the future distributions ^ybiie the intentions of the Depart- 



will be limited as follows: nient are doubtless the best, we deem 



To any experienced queen-breeder the pi"oceedure one, the wisdom of 



who will guarantee to rear queens and which may well be questioned. The 



mate them purely in considerable American Bee-Keeper would certainly 



numbers^ for general sale, the Bureau decline the proffered gift of a Cauca- 



will send, as far as the supply will sian queen, and would pray that none 



