64 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN 



apiarist. "Where did you say the order for 

 her came from?" "From that big concern 

 in America, termed 'Home of the Honey 

 Bees.' Money is not the special object, it 

 seems. They wish quality, and will pay for 

 it. I suppose I really will send her, but I 

 must wait until I can guarantee her a 

 Tested Queen, whose progeny show line- 

 bred marks of three yellow bands. Yes, I 

 will accept Mr. Air's offer of twenty-five 

 dollars for her. It is more than I can get 

 here, and I shall be pleased to exhibit to that 

 firm what my strain of Italian Honey Bees 

 shows in color, size, hardiness, gentleness, 

 and honey-gathering proclivities. I will 

 write them to-day that she will be mailed 

 as soon as I can declare the purity of her 

 bees. You know they will be seen on the 

 twenty-first day after the one on which she 

 began to lay." 



I listened to all this wonderingly. I was 

 accustomed to hearing about being pretty 

 from the standpoint of the breeder of 

 Italian Honey Bee Queens, could see my 



