The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-11-27
For the CadiZ Sentinel.
ES.
ny n. wILKIS, ArIARIAS.
FERTILIZATION OF TIE QUEEN.

FERTILIZATION OF THE QUEEN.
The impregnation of the queen never
takes place in the hive, but always in the
open air, on the wing; sometimes as far as
two or three miles from home. The queen
generally flies abroad for this purpose in
tho middle of the day, when she is about a
week old. At this time of day, in fair
weather, the drones flying are numerous, SO
that there is but little doubt Of her meeting
them on her first fight, although she some-
times has to fly out several times. She will
commence laying in two or three days after
impregnatiOn, and strange to say, will con-
time fertile during life--four or FIVE years
without further intercourse with the drones
In practice, if queen is Matched so de-
fectiye in wings that she cannot fly, | kill
her at once, knowing that she viii never be
of any service in the hive. But if once
fertilized, her wings may be cropped, or
she confined in hive where no drone can
have access to her. She will continue to
lay, without interruption, during life. |
will here state fact which seems strange
anomaly: If anything happens by which a
queens impragnation is prevented, she will
eventually cor mence laying, but all eggs
will produce droncs, whether laid in worker
or drone cells. Also, in some cases where
a colony is for long time queenless, some
of the workers will lay few eggs; but such
eggs, like the eggs of an unfertized queen
will produce nothing but drones. have a
colony in that situation at this time, Oct.
80 1867.
HOW TO RAISE QUEENS ART FICIALLY.
After the queen is fertilized she never
Al -,t Al L
continues moving gracefully over the comb,
depositing eggs in the bottoms of the empty
cells. The bees constantly back out of her
way as she moves along and offer warm hon.
cy from their PROCESSES, of which she fre.
quently partakes. There is circle of bees
always around her, with their heads toward
her, each one in its turn advances and
touches her with its antenae or horns; back
ing out OF the circle it crosses horns with
its nearest neighbor, and this last with its
neigEbor, and 50 on, keeping up constant
communication throughout the hive, show
ing that the queen is then all right Should
the queen be removed from the hive, the
whole colony will soon become aware OF
loss, and run coufUsedly through and on
the outside Of the hive, enquiring by this
same crossing of horns, for their absent
queen, communicating the sad intelligence
of the loss of their royal mother. Should
she be returned to them, all would soon be
quiet again; but if not returned, they would,
in few hours, commence rearing them
selves new queen.
A queen may be known by the length of
her body, which is much greater in length
than that Of the worler. Her color is more
of ycllowish cast. Unlike the worker,
she has no baskets on her thighs, formed of
curvcd hairs, for carrying beeb cad. Her
sting is longer than the workers, yet she
can not be induced to use it on anything
except rival queen; but put two queens
under glass tumbler and desperate bat
tie may b. witnessed.
ITALIAN BEES
The United States Government being
aware that all our valuable domestic ami.
mails, including horses, cattle. sheep, hogs,
fowls, nc, were originally imported from
other counties, and that by repeated impor-
tations Of the vaitics of each, the value of
one stock has been improved, incidentally;
and lear ing from Virgil, as we'll as Others,
both ancient and modern writer's, that the
Italian bees were not only more beautiful,
bus possessed many qualities much superior
to the Common or German bees, they con-
cluded that true economy demanded that
they should import some Of this variety;
accordingly they did so at great expense,
through the agency CT the Patent Office
Department, Such is their value that they
are now being rapidly Disseminated over
every portion Of our courtry. When first
introduced single queen was valued at not
less than five hundred dollars; but now
nrfo DF
the price is much reduced The abdomen
of the bee Is composed of six regiments or
rings. The Italian variety is distinguished
by having the first three regiments under
the wings, yellow. The abdomen of the
queen is nearly all 81 golden yellow
These bees are more prolific and vigorous
than the German variety; and give off
earlier and larger swarms. They are more
industrious and work more freely on the
second Or seed crop of clover and other
flowers Oh which the common bees do not
work; consequently, in bad seasons, they
are rich in honey, while the other variety
are starving and strong, vigorous colonies
always protect themselves best against
moths and robbers.
Pure Italians are less inclined 10 sting
than the Black bee. They are no more IN.
cned to rob than other bees, II they are
so much SO, The queen being very yellow
is more easily distinguished than in the
german variety. Correspondents of our
agricultural journals speak in glowing terms
of these bees. Dznzon, the great German
Bee keeper, says the profits Of his Apiary
have been doubled since their introduction.
The almost universal testimony of those
with whom | am acquainted, who have
tested them, is strongly in their favor
Thomas Groves, who lives near this place,
tells me that his Italian hive, last spring
gave off four swarms; his first swarm
swarned twice. and ;wo of the afterswarms
swarmed making eight swarms this season
as the increase from the original stuck
Two Of the swarms went to the woods, the
remaining six and the mother colony are all
well supplied with honey for winter, besides
making him eighty pounds of surplus or
box honey to spare Estimating his six
new colonies at ten dollars each, and his
honey at twenty-five cents per pound make
| eighty dollars credit to the parent stock
Others mention cases nearly as good Bees
apparently alike good, differ largely in pros
ductiveness, so there are cases where Italian
bees sitting side by side with natives, pro-
duce less than they, but this is rare ex-