THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



One spriiip, when living at Rogersville, and 

 getting niv living by the prodnction of comb 

 honey. I iKtnght three lots of Italian bees. One 

 lot of 20 colonics was from near home; another 

 lot of 20 came from 30 miles away; another lot 

 of 30 from So miles away. Each lot of bees had 

 peculiarities that seemed to pervade every colo- 

 ny of the whole lot. The bees of one lot were 

 good workers — just about like the bees I already 

 had. My average that year was 50 lbs. a colony, 

 and these bees came up to the average; but they 

 were the most vicious l>ees that I ever attempted 

 to handle. They were perfect devils — that's the 

 only word that fully describes their disposition. 

 As soon as possible their queens were replaced 

 with others; and, towards fall, peace again reign- 

 ed in the apiarj-. Another lot was easy enough 

 to handle, but LAZV is the only word that fitly 

 describes the bees. Honestly, the average of 

 this lot was only 25 lbs. The lot of 30 was as 

 peaceable a lot of Ijeesas I ever had in my apiary. 

 I doubt if I was stiing by one of them unless I 

 accidently pinched it. The average of this lot 

 was 60 lbs.; and quite a number of individual 

 colonies stored over 75 lbs. of surplus — some- 

 thing that was not done by any colony of anj- 

 other lot of liees in the yard. 



Such experiences as these have thoroughly 

 convinced me that there is a difference in bees 

 in regard to their <Usjx)sition, industry, and vari- 

 ou-s other traits. What fjee-keeper of experi- 

 ence has not noticed here and there a colony 

 far out-stripping the general average? This 

 may not be quite so noticeable if a man keeps 

 the same strain of liees year after year, but the 

 one who buys queens occasionally, and thus has 

 several strains of l>ees, will surely notice it. 



For many years I have lieen b\iying and sell- 

 ing l)ees an<l queens, getting them from a great 

 variety of s<jurces, and I can honestly .say that, 

 of all the strains I have in my yard, none have 

 surt)a.s.sed in gentleness, industry, hardiness, and 

 finish of capping, that of a certain breeder who, 

 for 20 years, has l)een working, by cro.ssing and 

 selection, to develop a sujierior strain of three- 

 lianded Italians. He has paid a great deal more 

 attention to the development of this stock than 

 he has to its dissemination and sale. Perhaps 

 he has never fully realized what he has accom- 

 plished — not having other stock with which to 



compare it, as I have had. Now that I have be- 

 come fully convinced of its superiority, I 

 am going to help him, myself, and my readers, 

 by advertising this superiority, and offering 

 queens for sale. 



The price of these queens will be $1.50 each. 

 This maj' seem like a high price, but the man 

 who pays it will make dollars where this breed- 

 er and my.sel'f make cents; atid when you come 

 to read the conditions under which they are .sold, 

 it will not seem .so high. The queens sent out 

 will all be young queens, just beginning to lay, 

 but, as there are no black bees in the vicinity, it 

 is not likely that any will prove impurely mated. 

 If any queen should prove to be impurely mat- 

 ed, another will be sent free of charge. Safe 

 arrival in first-class condition will be guaranteed. 

 Instructions for introd\icing will be sent to each 

 purcha.ser, and if these instructions are followed, 

 and the queen is lost, another will be sent free 

 of charge. This is not all; if, at any time within 

 two years, a purchaser, for anj- reason what- 

 KVER, is not .satisfied with his bargain, he can 

 return the queen, and his money will be refund- 

 ed, and 50 cents e.xtra sent to pay him for his 

 trouble. It will be seen that the purchaser runs 

 NO RISK WH.^TiiVER. If a quecu does not arrive 

 in good condition, another is .sent. If he lo.ses her 

 in introducing, another is sent. If she should 

 prove impurely mated, another is sent. If the 

 queen proves a poor layer, or the stock does not 

 come up to the expectations, or there is any rea- 

 .son why the bargain is not .satisfactory, the 

 queen can be returned and the money will be re- 

 funded, and the customer fairly well paid for his 

 trouble. 1 could not make this la.st promi.se if I did 

 not KNOW that the stock is rkally superior. 



I said that the price would be $1.50 each. There 

 is only one condition mider which a queen will 

 be sold for a less price, and that is in connection 

 with an advance subscription to the Review. 

 Any one who has already i)aid me, or who will 

 pay me, $1.00 for the Review for 1899, can have a 

 queen for 51.00. Of course, all arrearages pre- 

 vious to 1899 mu.st be paid up before this offer 

 will hold good. This special offer is made with a 

 view to the getting of new sub.scriliers, and as 

 an inducement to old sul).scril)ers to pay up all 

 arrearages and to pay in advance to the end of 

 the year. 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, FLINT, MICHIGAN. 



