The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-10-24
From the Salem Press.
THE ITALIAN BEE.


1t is notgsnerally known that the italian
Honey Bee has been introduced into this
part Of the country. We had optical proo
Of the interesting fact some days ago, wher
we visited our clever and enterprisIsg ci:i.
zen. DR.. ], w. Hunter. Early last sum.
mer this gentleman imported, from the a.
plary of L. l.. Langsworth, in Ohio, a pure.
ly Italian Queen, and also Patent Langs-
troth Hive, resolved, by careful expert
ment, to try the virtues of each and he
has met with entire success and salisfac-
ti0n.
II is 4 fact (and ought to be paten.
.acD that the Italian bees possess many ad
vantages over the common black bee of
this country, chief Among which are, 6rst,
that they are more prolific; second, that
they collect nearly double the quantity Of
hone, tn ird, that they defend themselves
against robbers with greater skill and eff
cheney and. fourth, that they are infinite
ly easier to keep and manage.
The Langstroth hive is pre-eminent in
worth and full description of its excel
lent construction would drive the truth Of
our assertion to the minds Of those Of our
bee keepers who are disposed TO be scepti-
cal on that point. Movable frames are
suspended in the hive, so as to touch neith-
er the top, bottom nor sides and by this
device the combs can be removed at plea
sure and speedily transferred. Honey can
DC taken out easily, without any loss or
danger 10 the operator or the bees.
Respecting the inaugufstion ef his Lang
sIoth hive and Italian. .poeen. we noted
DIR. Hunler's statements, as follows:
On the ninth day of July a swarm of
Black bees we're put into the hive. On the
seventeenth day of August the Italian Queen
was introduced 20 her dominion; and on
the following day The Black Queen was Ia.
ken from her throne. The former was kept.
for forty eight hours. surrounded by wire
gsuze cage. 10 prevent fatal attack on her
body IN case the bees refused to accept her |;
but the workers very speedily showed their
Willingness TO be her subjects. Exactly
twenty-one days from the date OF her libe-
ration the Italian bees made their first ap-
pearaace and now, At this date, the Black
bees have entirely disappeared,
In the appearance ofthese new bees, we
noticed that the workers are smooth and
glossy, and the color Of their abdominal
rings is q medium between the pale yellow
OF straw and the deeper yellow Of ochre.
These rings have narrow black edge or
border. so that the yellow (Which might be
called leather celor) constitutes the ground,
and is seemingly barred over by these
slight black edges or borders. The drones
ditfer from the workers in having the up
per half Of their abdominal rings black, and
the lower half an ochry. seIsw. thus caus-
ing the abdomen. when viewed from above,
to appear annulated. The Queen differs
from the common kind chiefly in the grea-
ter brilliancy of her colors.
Dr.. Hunter,also has what is called. an
Observing Hive. This hive holds but one
comb. and is leng snd perpendicular, with
both sides Of glass, so that every bee can
be seen. In this hive we witnessed the
strange anomaly Of two queens dwelling
together in perfect harmony. These, how
ever, are only the common bees.
The South is particularly adapted TO the
culture of the Italian honey beet aud il
would be great advantage TO our people
if every family would keep few hives.
No other branch of industry can be named
in which there need be so little loss on The
material that is employed. or which SO CON-
pletely derives its profit from the vast and
exhaustless domains Of nature.
We trust that the labors OF DR.. Hunter,
our pioneer. will promote in this section a
Of rural economy which has
hitherto received 50 very little scientific
n aftenfion