THEIR SUPERIORITY. 
73 
tained by bim in any previous year. The season there was very 
favorable, and in the fall there was an unusual abundance of 
buckwheat pasturage in his neighborhood.” — Ed. American Bee 
Journal. 
Mrs. E. S. Tupper, of Brighton, Iowa, a noted Western 
writer on bee culture, says : “In the summer of 1863 I had but 
two Italian stocks to commence with. One of these stored one 
hundred and t*n pounds of honey, besides giving me three arti- 
ficial swarms ; the other gave me two swarms and stored ninety- 
six pounds of honey ; and all the swarms but one, partly filled 
several boxes each. I had, that same season, fifty-six colonies 
of common bees, all of which were divided, but not one of which 
stored a pound of honey, though in the same kind of hives and 
treated in a similar way with the Italians. That season it will 
be remembered was very poor. 
“ In the summer of 1864, 1 averaged from nine Italian colonies 
one hundred and nineteen pounds each. The greatest yield from 
one hive was as follows : one full swarm taken from it the fif- 
teenth of May ; honey taken in boxes through the season, one 
hundred and fifty-six pounds, besides four full frames from which 
to rear queens ; the swarm from it stored eighty pounds in a 
cap, and on the fifteenth of July threw off a very large swarm, 
which filled its hive, and stored several pounds in boxes. Thus 
we have two hundred and thirty-six pounds of box honey, be- 
sides two extra large colonies, from a single hive, not reckoning 
the frames and partially filled boxes. I do not think a colony 
of the common bee ever did as much in the best season ; if so, 
let us have the record.” 
