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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



June 20, 



Dividing Colonies for Increase. 



BY W. D. FRENCH. 



There are many peoplo in our midst who keep bees ; but 

 the practical and scientific apiarists of modern development 

 are few. They are composed chiefly of that element who 

 never look into, or read a bee-paper, and know nothing what- 

 ever of the progress of modern apiculture. Their anxiety and 

 ambition is in the direction of increase, fostering the idea that 

 bees must issue first, before their propensity leads them to 

 store surplus honey; dividing and subdividing without the in- 

 troduction of queens, or mature cells, being practiced indis- 

 criminately, resulting in the end by a degeneration of their 

 colonies. Subdividing, by allowing each subdivision to rear 

 a queen from their own larva, takes away all energy and vigor 

 from the working force, and produces a queen of inferiority; 

 such queens are longer in hatching, and seldom prolific. 



It must be born in mind that it requires nearly one month 

 to mature a perfect queen, and fit her for egg-laying duties. 

 It will be remembered also, that it requires 37 days to develop 

 a worker-bee for field duty, in a normal condition; henca it 

 will be seen that two months has elapsed before the progeny 

 of the subdivision are able to sustain the colony, in which time 

 all old bees have passed out of existence. While a queen in a 

 populous hive will lay two and three thousand eggs every 24 

 hours, this one, under such conditions, will not exceed so 

 many hundred for the next month to follow. 



For the benefit of the inexperienced, I would suggest a 

 method of increase which will be in accord with nature, pro- 

 ducing queens of standard value, and with but little intermis- 

 sion on their part, compared with subdivision. 



First, reduce the space of the colony to the capacity of 

 five Lacgstroth frames, by means of a division-board, and 

 allow only two queen-cells to be constructed at a time ; the in- 

 capacity of the hive restricting the queen from performing 

 her full duty, will compel an issue. Hive them in like manner, 

 and so continue until towards the end of the season, when 

 plenty of room should be given, allowing each colony ample 

 opportunity to prepare their winter stores. 



In a good season, where nectar-secretions are in abun- 

 dance, it Is astonishing to note the rapidity in which new col- 

 onies will be formed. Foster, Calif. 



Conducted by " HBB-AIASTER." 



The Color Question in Bees. 



Mr. McArthur's article on this subject (oh this page) will 

 be read with interest, and is worthy of careful consideration. 

 I do not understand that there isany prejudice against golden- 

 hued bees except in connection with the idea that there is a 

 certain degree of delicacy of constitution indicated by a bril- 

 liant yellow color. 



It is to be observed that Mr. McArthur does not lay stress 

 on color alone. There must also be a good pedigree. His po- 

 sition is, that every good quality can be so inbred that it will 

 become indelible, and that in addition there may be the beau- 

 tiful golden yellow tint which is so universally admired. 



I suppose the advocates of leather-colored queens will 

 take issue with Mr. McArthur, and state their objections to 

 the bright yellow hue. But wintering those colonies on their 

 summer stands in a position so bleak and exposed as Toronto 

 Island, is about as severe a test of hardiness as bees of any 

 race could be put to ; and their having come through the or- 

 deal so well speaks volumes in their favor. 



A thorough discussion of this matter cannot but have a 

 tendency to elicit the truth, which is what we are all after, 

 that is, if we are not wedded to pet theories or blinded by self- 

 interest. 



•»-»-* 



A Few Facts About the Color of Bees. 



Color is the most distinguishing mark or characteristic 

 whereby we can distinguish one race of bees from another. 

 Some who are very prominent in bee-circles say color is no 

 proof of purity. Would these parties kindly explain them- 

 selves ? Perhaps they have some better distinguishing mark ; 

 if so, please let us hav# it. 



Objections are made to the yellow color — for what reason, 

 I would like to know ? It cannot be said that it is a weak 

 color, being the very opposite of that, both in the animal and 



vegetable world, different altogether from the albino, that 

 shows a weakness in constitution wherever it occurs in the 

 animal kingdom, blindness in some, while in others, deafness. 

 Let us look again to the vegetable kingdom, especially to 

 herbaceous plants, where this sporting often occurs, and a 

 green sends forth a complete white shoot. Try to propagate 

 it. and you cannot, it is too weak to live. Now to show the 

 effects of soil on herbaceous plants, if my memory serves me 

 aright, I think it is Mr. Saulter (Nurseryman, Hammersmith, 

 London, England) who says that by removing plants from one 

 portion of his nursery to another they become variegated. 

 This is purely the action of soil or plant food. This illustra- 

 tion is used merely to show how easily color can be changed 

 or transmitted. If color is such an injury to the bee-business, 

 or an eyesore to some, will they stand down and allow the 

 negro to take their place ? Mind you, I don't speak disparag- 

 ingly of the negro, he is my brother. There are many noble 

 minds among that race, but they are not as yet equal to the 

 Caucasian race. This brings us to the divisions of the human 

 family, which are as follows : White, brown, copper-colored, 

 red, black and tawny, but can be reduced to three, namely, 

 European, Asiatic and African, the other two being mere in- 

 tervening shades or blends of color produced by crossing. 



This illustration of color in the human race can with 

 equal force be applied to our race of bees, and it is wonderful 

 to think that the noblest races of man to be found are those 

 of the regions of Asia Minor. Here it is supposed man was 

 created ; here he first received the breath of life, and arose in 

 the image of his Maker. The die has not lost its divine im- 

 press, for here we still meet, and in all ages have met, so far 

 as relates to exterior graces, with the most exquisite models of 

 symmetry and beauty. Now when such can be said of the 

 human race, is it not as wonderful that our beautiful races of 

 bees also had their origin in this very spot, and have re- 

 mained so for ages in their purity, probably existing ere man 

 was? 



I sincerely hope that those who are so anxious about the 

 extermination of this color among our bees, as if it were a 

 plague or epidemic, would give the matter a little considera- 

 tion. Don't be too hasty in coming to conclusions. The 

 experience of the writer is that they are excellent honey- 

 gatherers, queens prolific, marked gentleness, large bees, es- 

 pecially so from the eighth to the twelfth cross, and very 

 hardy. Having wintered several colonies on the summer 

 stands on Toronto Island, to prove their hardiness, I can 

 speak positively on this point. Several prominent bee-keepers 

 advised me against the experiment, and said I would lose 

 them. I thought so myself at one time, it being the severest 

 winter on record. The result proved contrary to expectations. 

 All came out alive, and are stronger than those put in the 

 repository. So you see the yellow race can winter safely 

 without a feather-bed. I want no better race, having bred 

 them for 21 generations, and have no hesitation in saying 

 that every good quality can be so inbred that it will become 

 indelible. Those referred to originated from a pure Carniolan 

 mother mated with yellow drones. I have followed on those 

 lines for 21 generations, producing now perfect yellow queens, 

 workers and drones, using the drones from one queen for four 

 years, and can show any one all the stages from the first to 

 the 21st generation. 



Remember, this is no guess-work, being accomplished with 

 precision, devoting four whole years to the task, without re- 

 muneration, but I have been well rewarded by the knowledge 

 of facts. The conclusion I have arrived at is this : There is 

 as vast a difference between the yellow race of bees, when 

 pure and properly bred, and the blacks, as there is between 

 the European and the African, notwithstanding the opposite 

 views entertained by some ; and seeing that man in his purity 

 originated in Asia Minor, is it to be wondered at that this race 

 of bees should also partake of some of those graces which man 

 himself fell heir to '? John McArthur. 



Tiiat Foul Brood Act— Other Jottings. 



I notice on page 268-9 of the American Bee Journal, 

 under the heading, "The Ontario Foul Brood Controversy," 

 that there is a difference of opinion as to the meaning of Sec- 

 tion 3 of the Ontario Act. Now as I myself had the honor of 

 making the original draft of that Act, I feel a little hurt that 

 there should be any two opinions as to what any part of it 

 means, because if there is one thing at all about the fruit of my 

 quill in which I might feel disposed to take a little pride it is 

 clearnens — calling a spade a spade, and a crook a crook. And 

 I venture to say that Messrs. Clarke and McEvoy would find 

 nothing in that original draft to dispute about as to meaning ; 



