1883 



GLE AIRINGS i]^ BEE CULTURE. 



531 



paid for the pump with the 50 cents he re- 

 ceived, aud got his dinner and horse-feed 

 tree. At the same time, he conferred a ben- 

 efit on neighbor H. in selling him one, even 

 at that pi ice. Now, although the patentee 

 has fixed the price at $2.00, it seems to me 

 that 75 cts. would be about what 1 ought to 

 charge you, and I will furnish them to you 

 at that price until he objects. I believe he 

 will sell more pumps, do more good, and 

 make more money, in asking 75 cents rather 

 than §2.00. However, as it is his invention, 

 I suppose he has a right to say what they 

 shall be sold for. Is^ow, in consideration of 

 the above, perhaps it would be well, if you 

 want one, to say so pretty quickly, if you 

 want to get it for 75 cents. 



FROITI ITALY TO AUSTRALIA. 



OUR FRIEND BIANCONCINI STILL PROGRESSING. 



rT is a long time since I troubled you with any bee 

 news from this quarter of the globe, and I do so 

 now more to show the skill and readiness to try 

 to oblige of your old friend Charley Bianconcini. 



Something more than two years since, I wrote him 

 asking if he would try the experiment of sending 

 queens to Australia; and if so, would he inquire at 

 his end the best mode of transit. He expressed his 

 willingness. Inquiries were instituted at both ends 

 and the Orient line of steamers, calling at Naples at 

 short intervals (monthly), were selected for the ex- 

 periment. Twelve queens were despatched in June, 

 1883, and arrived at Brisbane, Queensland, in Aug-, 

 ust, being about 48 days cribbed, cabined, and con- 

 fined, having to be trans-shipped at Sydney, New 

 Souih Wales. On opening the little boxes. Jive queens 

 were found alive. The^e were severally introduced 

 to prepared stocks, with one exception, aud did w ell. 

 So far so good for a first attempt. Tnus the sec ind 

 batch of Italians was introduced by the writer lo 

 Australia. 



Having so far succeeded, it was determined to 

 make another attempt for the present season, just 

 commenced with us. So, on the 23d of June another 

 parcel of 12 queens was despatched by Bianconcini 

 from Naples. Ttiese were landed at Brisbane on 

 the 10th of August, and must have been confloed 

 49 days, some a day or two longer. On opening this 

 parcel of 12, ten living queens were found, all lively, 

 and some of the boxes had very few dead bees. 1 

 shouted, '■'■Hurrah Charley!" All the ten queens 

 have been safely introduced to prepared stroug 

 nuclei, and are laying well, little the worse, appa- 

 rently, for their lung confinement. No doubt when 

 they have fully recovered they will put on a better 

 appearance than when first relieved, although some 

 of them are really fine queens. 



Thus the ditliculties have been overcome. Proper 

 packing, good supply of water, and care on voyage, 

 have secured for Australian apiaries a long-desired 

 boon — the pure Italian. No doubt as this becomes 

 known, and the excellent traits of these bees are bet- 

 ter understood, great demand will arise for them. 

 Bianconcini has our thanks for entering so heartily 

 into the project, and in doing his part so skillfully. 

 Chas. Fallwood. 



Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Aug. 30, 1883. 



And I, friend F., want to say, " Hurrah for 



the two Charlies;" for I think you both 

 deserve credit, do you notV 



OR HONEY-PLANTS TO BE NAMED. 



SEND you a specimen of a plant found in the 

 woods; very fragrant; bees working on it; 

 from 3 to 5% feet high; large leaf; it is nearly 

 out of blooming. I should like you to name it. 

 Williamson, N. Y., Aug. 31, 1883. R. J. Nash. 



Prof. Devol replies as follows : 



Plant is probably CoZiinsonift canadensis, L. (horse- 

 balm, rich-weed, stone-root); but from the specimen 

 sent I am unable to say to a certainty that it is this. 

 It grows 3 to 5 feet high, a little pubescent, leaves 

 6 to 8 inches long, ^ as wide, thin, acuminate, 

 coarsely serrate, abrupt at base. Flowers in a loose 

 panicle; calyx cup-shaped, with 5 slender teeth; 

 corolla tubular, slightly two-lipped, upper lip 4- 

 lobed, lower one longer. Stamens two, excerted; 

 anthers much divergent; pistil much excerted, with 

 a two-lobert stigma. It is a strong-scented peren- 

 nial herb, flowering most of the summer, as is usual 

 in Labiatw. It is rich in honey. W. S. Devol. 



Columbus, O., Sept. 15, 1883. 



Please name this flower for me, and oblige 



"Aunt Carrie." 

 Prof. Devol replies : 



Plant from Mis. C. L. Stallard, Darter, Putnam 

 Co., Ind., is Dauciis pusiUvs, a plant nearly related 

 to, and closely resembling the wild carrot (D. 

 Caroto). It is a slender plant, 6 to 18 inches high, 

 retorsely-hispid, leaflets pubescent, bi-pinnatifid, 

 divisions deeply lobed with acute segments. It has 

 a copious involucre of deeply pinnatifid biacts sur- 

 rounding the umbel, which is 1 to Wx inches broad; 

 flowers white, central ones abortive; calyx 5-tooth- 

 ed; corroUa with 5 emarginate petals, those on the 

 outer flowers larger; fruit oblong, smaller than that 

 of the carrot, muricate with barbed or hooked 

 prickles. Found principally on dry soils; common 

 south. W. S. Devol. 



Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 14, 1883. 



AAVARDING PREOTIUOTS AT OUR COUN- 

 TV FAIRS. 



DUTIES OF JUDGES, ETC. 



M Tour county fair wehada very good exhibition 

 J^\ of bees, honey, and wax; also extractors and 



' foundation machines. There were five or 



six different makes of hives, three or four ofiWhich 

 were double - walled. There was a single -walled 

 hive to which the judges gave the first prize. Al- 

 most every one thought it was unjust to others; al- 

 so they gave the second prize to a colony of bees 

 that had no queen, which I think was wrong; as the 

 bees were on the ground about 38 hours before they 

 were examined, there were no eggs, and there was 

 a number of queen-cells ready to cap. I would like 

 your opinion as to whether the judges ought to 

 have given a premium on a colony without a queen. 



Davenport, la., Oct. 1, 1883. W. W. Hunter. 



Friend II., I should hardly think that it 

 was the thing to do, to award a premium on 



