Dollar Queens Preferred. 271 
Valentine has given us a valuable “comb stand” ( Fig. 101). 
As will be seen this holds two frames. The platform is 
handy to receive tools, and the drawer serves well to hold 
scissors, knife, queen cages, etc. 
Mr. M. G. Young has invented an “ Easel” (Fig. 101) 
for the same purpose. This will hold several combs. Of 
course it will not do to leave combs thus exposed, except 
when the bees are busy in the field; or we will have great 
trouble with robber bees. 
ry 
TO GET OUR ITALIAN QUEENS, 
At present the novice, and probably the honéy producer 
who prefers to purchase rather than rear his queens, better 
send to some reliable, experienced breeder, and procure 
“dollar queens.” Unless these are impurely mated, which 
will rarely happen with first-class breeders, they are just 
as good as “tested queens.” Testing only refers to’ the 
matter of pure mating. 
I have felt, and still feel, that this cheap queen traffic 
tends to haste, not care, in breeding, and that with “dollar 
queens” ruling in the market, there is lack of inducement 
for that careful, painstaking labor that is absolutely requisite 
to give us the best race of bees. It is justly claimed, how- 
ever, in favor of the “dollar queen” business, that it has 
hastened the spread of Italian bees, gives those who rather 
buy than rear their queens a cheap market in which to pur- 
chase, and, best of all, weeds out of the business all but the 
most skillful, cautious, and honest breeders. Only skillful 
men can make it pay. Only cautious, honest men can find 
a market for their stock. We know that men are making 
a handsome profit in the business and at the same time are 
giving excellent satisfaction. This is the best argument in 
favor of any business. I repeat, then, that the beginner 
better purchase “dollar queens” of some reliable breeder— 
one who has made queen rearing a success for years, and 
given general satisfaction. 
I have feared that this “cheap queen” traffic would crush 
the hard effort, requiring study, time, money, and the most 
cautious experiment and observation, necessary to give us 
a very superior race of bees. There is reason to hope now 
