Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-03-15
ON nuNDKED.DUL AK BEES.

ON hUNDkED.DUL AK BEES.
0Atherins Queens in Cyprus and In The
Holy LAnd-sone Interesting Infer.
nation About Bees.
d. A. Jones. member OF the Cana
dian parliament. recently returned TO
his homt ut Beeton, ontario, from the
island Of Cyprus and the Holy Land.
His visit there was for the sole purpose
OF securia * queen bees from those coun.
tries. His apiary in Beeton is very
large. and he has otlsers in the United
States. He also established an apiary
in Larn ca, Cyrus. which is now in charge
of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Benton Writing
from Palestine TO friend in New York.
Mr.. Jones said of his journey: 81 have
been delighted with my trip through
these parts on account of finding very
superior race OF bees-a race that feel
sanRuine, when tested, will prove
boon to America; aud IA / am the first
to import them, l hope to get enough 10
America TO have the rxce established
there in purity. There appears 10 be
but one race Of bees in the Holy Land,
but they vary in color and in some
other respects. and on this account ]
have procured somr from almost every
part. Those obtained in the valley OF
Sharon. Jerusalem, and all about the
hills of Judea. also east Of Jordan and
the Red sen, were sent on mules. cameb
and asses to Jaffa, thence by steamer TO
the apiary ut Larnica. Those got on
Mount Lebanon, in Herman. Ds-
mascus, and in fact In ali the
northern part OF Syria, were taken
TO the coast and shipped d
Beyrout for Lsrnica. Just now i am
getting supply from northeast OF
Damascus. near Palmyra, and they seem
very fine. have also received num-
Der Of bees for Professor Cook, of Lans-
ing. Mich, tor examination under the
microscope. In some localities they re-
fuse to sell me bees. have with me
stock OF small vials filed with alcohol.
into each OF which | place lew bees.
These excite the cur iosity Of the natives,
and they watch my every movement.
The dangers Of travelling are very great.
rs am forced to 20 to distant points,
quite out of the ordinary routes, to
carry out my object. II my losses are
not too heavy, will surprise the bee
keepers of America with this new race
of bees. find 1t less difficult to secure
bees here than ii would be in ordinary
seasons. as the crops were failure IN
Palestine and Syria last year. and star.
walton makes some more willing TO sell
their bees than they otherwise would
be. II ever get out safe from these
tribes will have no desire 70 return,
even should | find superior race in
some other locality. ! will hire the
natives instead TO come to me, and let
them run the rSk OF having fine been
for me TO select from. aud pay them
such sums rs will induce them TO per.
form that work. In tact, it will be
quite impos sible to ever do more than
to get few stocks 70 breed rom. as the
cost is 50 great. In some instances each
bee could not be got and laid down
safely in American for less than 500.
AL have viii surely average that
sum-"
Mr.. Jones brought with him 200 hives.
he placed them on exhibition in London
before his departure for this country.
They were viewed there by the Baroness
Burdett Coutts. Sir John Lubbock. Mr..
Terry, OF the British museum, and John
Hunter, Of the Tunes.
Upon arriving in New York M. Jones
said:
Notwithstanding have gone TO the
antipodes for my pets. l cannot safely
pass any opinion upon them yet. / am
the first man in this country who has
collected Cyprian and Holy Land bees in
their native abode. and comparatively
little is known of them. The gu ,ens are
strong, hearty bees, able to 90 long dis
tances, and mainla ain their own against
. superior force. AL that l may say
further would be only conjecture. 1t
will take time TO test the superiority OF
their breed IS honey producers over that
of the Italian or Ligurian queens"
Mr.. A. K. Blood, vf Massachusetts,,
was the first beekeeper that introduced
Cyorian queens into the hives OF this
country. Hin were received three years
ago fro some friends travelling in the
Holy Land. There were few in number.
Beekeepers who inspected them believed
that they promised much. Next year .
Fort Plain beekeeper introduced the
Cyp, ians into his apisry, and they pro-
duced such resuhs as to cause senss-
ton among beekeepers aud to lead TO
the trip Of Mr.. Jones. The Cyprian
queen is lively and of . very light yel-
low color under its body. This often
approaches q straw color Sne il
ferocious when attacked and resists
vehemently. Her workers are much
more hardy tnan either the italian or
the black bees. 1t is said that in Cy-
prus she will live for six years. The
Italian queens existence Is confined to
three or four years. Her other points
are yet to be tested. Her drones also
are superior to the ordinary Italian
drones.
Besides the Italian queen, the little
black, large brown and gray queen bees
are natives of this country. and have
thrived ever since they were brought out
by the pilgrim fathers. A good queen
will lay 5000 eggs in q day. Queens are
hatched in fourteen days, workers In
about twenty. one days. and drones In
about twenty-four days. Among the
successful beekeepers Of this country ART
General Fi,z John Porter. who has his