The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-07-28
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.


The following from the June number Of
the american Agriculturist, is interesting
not only in itself, but from being probably
one of the last articles written by the late well
known bee-writer, Mr.. Quinby, whose recent
death we have noted:
Among the domestic animals, we have va.
rious grades of improvement. Among horses
and cattle, the various breeders find points in
each grade which they wish to propagate for
that have points which they expect 10 find in
their offspring. The beautiful Durham is not
expected from the wild race of the tropics.
Among bees, the beautiful and amiable Ital-
ian is not expected from the black, vicious,
and often more indolent native. Both varie-
ties may have some traits that it is desirable
to propagate while both have some which
might be advantageously LETT out.
One stock may possess vigor and industri-
GUS habits, and disposition to resent any
measures that seems to them an approach to
be too indolent to collect much, and lack en-
ergy to protect what is generally wanted. If
industrious habits and mild disposition are
found combined, that is the breed to propa-
gate from. With most of these traits are
only ascertained by close and attentive obser-
walton. Thirty years ago an old lady, when
asked to fix a price for one of her colonies,
replied that she had smarter bees than any
one else, they swarmed early and often; abe
had probably discovered fact, without being
able to trace it to any cause.
What is to prevent changing all our stocks
into the best in one Summer, if all tie queens
are selected from such only? 1t is time this
point received attention. In rearing cattle,
it will not do to check the growth by an in
sufficiency, or an inferior quality OF food.
Queen bees need full development as
well as cattle. Much discussion has been
had relative to rearing queens in full stocks,
or ia small nuclei; some claiming that a full
stock is the most natural. 1t will not be dis
cussed here, further than to say that full
supply of nutrIment is required to rear good
queens; usually the least trouble and ex-
pense, where queens are to be reared, is to
make little box to represent a. movable
comb hive. Combs of full size of hives can
be used on the same principle, the size makes
but little difference, if there are nurse bees
enough. 1t would seem that the Creator
had designed especially to facilitate the in
crease of the best stock. In addition to the
number of queens provided, when swarm
issues naturally, it is arranged that they can
be increased almost indefinitely.
Eggs of fertile queen ale of two kinds
one produces males, the other females.
Means of deciding which will produce drones,
and which workers, are given to all observ-
ers, as one kind is deposited in worker cells,
the other in drone cells. Whether the act of
depositing the egg in the large or small cell
decides the sex or not will not now be dis
cussed. One thing is certain, the eggs de-
posted in worker cells that ordinarily would
produce workers, can be converted into
queens. When young bees not many days
old, are destitute of queen, and are pro-
vided with eggs or young brood, in season,
they at once proceed to provide one or more.
1t is well to wait, before commencing to
raise queens, until there is a prospect OF
drones Matching, as soon, at least, as the
queens do.