883 



GLEAKIKGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



173 



many reports, it will be remmibered, where 

 bees were made quiet by giviug them water 

 in the cellar. 



FRO.^ THE B0X-I<:L.DERS. 



MR. DUSTER S OPINION OF THE CYPRIANS, AND SOME 

 OPINIONS, ALSO, OF THINGS IN GENERAL. 



WJlTH his chin resting upon his crossed arms, 

 and leaning on the board fence which partly 

 surrounds his apiarj% we saw our old friend 

 Mr. Duster a few mornings since, evidently uncon- 

 scious of all things about him, meditating. We sa- 

 luted him by suggesting that he was taking a resf, 

 or was his chin just a little tired, or something? 



"Yes, yes, young man; never j'ou mihd about the 

 chin! but 1 teas taking a rest; for I have been look- 

 ing over my old journals, noting the diffcrert and 

 varying reports of bee-men in their experience with 

 the Cyprian bee, and the conclusions that many of 

 them have come to. I confess it has tired me not a 

 little, for I don't see how a careful man can decide 

 so quickly as most have, as you can see by these re- 

 ports, whether these bees are desirable or not. A 

 majority of the reports the first of the season, I 

 think, were unfavorable to them; but since the 

 close of the working season, and parties have had 

 more time to compare and carefully judge of re- 

 sults, they have been more favorable." 



In resuming, Mr. Duster said, with considerable 

 emphasis,— 



"Now, I will say here what perhaps I ought to 

 have said long ago: That in these talks I do not set 

 myself up as some 'Sir Oracle, and when I ope my 

 lips, let no dog bark.' I simply give you my experi- 

 ences and conclusions: do with them as you see fit— 

 that's all. 



"In the three seasons," said Mr. Duster, return- 

 ing to his talk on the Cyprian bee, " in which I have 

 had them, they have impressed me rather favorablj^ 

 in many ways. Now, some say that they do not 

 commence breeding in the spring as early as Ital- 

 ians. Of this I am not certain; but I am quite cer- 

 tain they arc ready for work, as far as numbers and 

 strength are concerned, as soon as honey appears, 

 and that is soon enough. Instead of it being a fault, 

 I think it one of the best recommendations, if true; 

 for I am one of those who are not in favor of haste 

 In early spring breeding. Ten to one you do not ex- 

 haust your queen and stores, in so doing, to no ben- 

 efit, but very likely a damage. Save the stores, is 

 my motto, and ic is one of the main reasons why I 

 winter my bees in a cellar; but we are getting from 

 the subject. Almost all reports speak of the pecu- 

 liar trait of the bees, of filling their hives suddenly 

 with bees, and of keeping them so through the sea- 

 son. Thi.^ has been my experience with them too — 

 not a bad fault, I reckon. Many have reported this 

 fact, for such, undoubtedly, it is; but a few claim 

 that they give most of their efforts to this business 

 of breeding, instead of collecting honey." 



Here Mr. Duster suddenly dropped his chin on his 

 arms again in the old position on the fence. 



" Well, one needs to take a rest to draw a bead fine 

 enough to see how such a condition of things could 

 or can exist. They say they are a smart, active, ner- 

 vous little insect, but — and here the whole thing 

 takes the strangest kind of a turn — a sort of back 

 action I can't understand. 'Smart, active!' That 

 is so. But what puzzles me is to know what they're 



smart and active about, if it is not shown in gather- 

 ing honey — the bee's normal business." 



Here Mr. Duster reviewed a little, and changed 

 the subject somewhat. 



"Now, this holding back in breeding in early 

 spring, and then rushing things as soon as steady 

 warm weather comes; this nervous activity in all 

 that they do, and especially in breeding up so quick- 

 ly, and gathering honey so rapidly, are traits I 

 should like to retain in my apiary." 



HYBRIDS FOR HONEY-GATHERING. 



"And now to change the subject somewhat, let 

 me tell you, suh rosa, that when a swarm of bees 

 does extra well in gathering honey, on examination 

 it almost always somehow turns out to be a hybrid. 

 At first I did not like to own it — I don't really like 

 to now; but it has forced itself upon me against my 

 will. Now, these are my views in crossing bees, or 

 hybridizing, as it is generally called. This crossing 

 has been mostly with the brown or black bees. 

 Now, then, as it is claimed that the Cyprian and Ho- 

 ly-Land bees are distinct breeds, why not use them 

 to cross on our Italians, in^^tead of the browns and 

 the blacks? I can not see why we may not expect 

 as good results, yes, better, in every way, with a 

 cross of this kind, and besides save our beautiful 

 golden bands. I plead to the weakness of leaning to 

 the side of beauty, especially when other things are 

 equal. Many say that they don't care for the golden 

 bands; it is honey they want. Yes; but why not 

 have both? Throw aside all idea of breeding for 

 beauty, and bee-keeping, to me, would lose half its 

 pleasure and interest. Young man, you needn't tell 

 me," and here Mr. Duster straightened himself up 

 to his full height, " that you selected your young 

 and beautiful wife only because she was a good 

 worker — smart to get grub, and soon. You know 

 that all else kicked the beam, and beauty brought 

 the balance down by at least two-thirds majority, 

 and 'several back counties to hear from!' You'll 

 not deny it to me, and you dare not to your wife." 



I saw that the old gentleman thought that he had 

 me; so, to change the subject a little, I asked him 

 how he was pleased with the cross so far. 



"I am quite satisfied; for certainly they have 

 proved good workers — kept their hives full of bees, 

 have been moderate in swarming, lost no beauty in 

 color, but I think have improved it, and given me 

 the best and handsomest drones I ever saw, which, I 

 think"— 



Here I interrupted him, for I had heard from 

 some of his visitors of his beautiful drones, and how 

 much he delighted to show them, by asking, " How 

 about the gentleness of your Cyprians? " 



MR. DUSTER GIVES US A LITTLE " COW " TALK. 



"Well, you know that they have been generally 

 reported as cross and vicious; but mine have not 

 beeh so. They have been as gentle as my Italians; 

 perhaps I have handled them with a little more care, 

 as I would any other creature that I saw was 

 quick and nervous. I would use the same judgment 

 with them as with a nervous horse or with the little 

 Jersey cow. If one is rough and unpleasant with 

 the Jerseys, and gives them a little of the stool oc- 

 casionally, and so on, he will soon find that he has 

 got the most vicious little brutes he ever sat down 

 to; and, what is m5re, 7(6 made them so. Treat these 

 active, nervous Jerseys gently and kindly, and you 

 have in return one of the most kind and gentle of 

 cows: treat them otherwise, and you have the most 

 vicious. 



