Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-28
For the VERMONT FARMER
How the Bee Writers Agree.

For the VERMONT FARNER.
How the Bee Writers Agree.
We enclose an article clipped from the
New York Weekly Times of December 8,
under the above heading If the object of
the editor in reviviug such questions, Of
long ago, was merely to make comparison
with the present, aud show the advancement
Of science it would be very proper. For it
is well to note its progress, give full credit
fer its achievements, aud speed it onward.
But the editor seems to have lost about
two decades, and invites us back to help
him over the corduroy roads OF the past.
The article referred to reads as follows
The German, Huber, the most painstak-
ing student of the honey bee, gave his life to
its study, and Robert Hush, an Euglishman,
wrote a work of some celebrity upon Bees /;
Their Natural History aud Management.
Huber is looked upon by aplarians as the
best authority upon all matters which came
under his personal observation. We quote,
in parallel columns, the views Of these wrI-
tiers upon some points
HUBER. HUSH.
Tho drCnes one Of which Tho drones, who are the
Is sufficient TO fecundate amales, and who fecundate
queen during the wholeleggs OF the queen as hsy
Of hor life. are laid ia ther cells.
The queen oviposts at The queen oviposlts only
all seasons Of the year, In the spring aud summer
even in wnter. and neusr In the winter
g. 3.
1t is the mother queen It Is the young queen
who departs with tho hrst who departs with the first
swarm. swarm.
The hive which has lost The hive which has lost
Its queen rear anotheTit queen cannot rear
from common egg, select another unless there be a
cd for this purpose, by the royal ogg In the hive
giving of royafjolly.
The queen Is fec,,ndated The queen is not fecpn.
in the open air by the dated by any act OF COTTON
drono. who then dies. with the drone.
Bee.bread /; used as the BsO-bread is not applied
food for tho lave admins- to the nutriment Of the
tered by the common bees. bOos nor as the food Oi
the lava.
"When doctors differ who shall decide p
The editor OF the Times seems to think
the subject too profound for him to fathom.
Consequently he asks "When doctors differ
who shall decide?" Huber, as philauthro'
pist aud scholar, devoted his energies to
4
thorough practical research and careful iu'
yestigalion. On the other hand Hush was
presumptive, laundering apinrian' taking a
narrow incrcduous view Of his subject
hence he failed to accept evidence which
tended to disprove his iavorite theories.
Consequently Hush the self-reliant Britor
should not bO "pitted against" Huber the
scientific German, nor mentioned in the
same connection as authority.
There is little danger of those versed il
the correct principles of bee keeping falling
into the errors taught by lluish, especially
on points so important and we'll established
But with others there is more danger
those who are just becoming interested II
the natures and habits of bees, who are try
ing to solve the many knotty questions nes'
the experience of others, that they maj
not only avoid wrong conclusions, but wors'
practices, which follow wrong conclusions.
No Of Huber's statements is correct il
the main, but we would add that cases ar,
frequent where Italian queens that do moi
have their wings clipped, breed for an iude6
nito season pure Italians, thus proving tha
they have mated with Italian droues. Al
forwards in the cases referred to they com
mencs breeding hybrids, thus giving evidenc
OF a second fertilization, and that by bacI
drone. The fact that they are OCCASIONAL
mated the second, or even the third time
does not prove that it conduces in the leas
to their fruitfulness, for some Of the be-
laying queens have had their wings clipPe
when two weeks old, and have continue
f prolific until old age, frequently two, an
even three years.
2. True, with the exception of a failure
the honey supplies, when their high order
, instinct leads them not only to lay sparingll
. but stop entirely, and even the workers
such cases destroy FIRST the drones, old an
I young, and, finally, if pressed by necessit
they drag the young workers from their Gel
0 to perish.
e 3. Needs no qualification unless IT bein
Q case where the old queen is injured. by u
n bees while they are restraining her from d
. stroying the young queens in their coils.
9 this case after few days delay the swar
K leaves, accompanied by the drst young qust
/. hatched.
70 4. To prove this we have only to dePri
IS a colony Of its queen aud cut out all que'
:. cells if any are formed. In few days v
Is tiud number, usually from five to twent
le new ones built, which in due time will fu
a nish as many mature queens. Provide
er nevertheless, that If these cells are not G
US out, or otherwise protected, the 6rst hatch
queen will break into all the other cells Al
at sting her unmatched sisters to death. The