Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-01-21
BEE CULTURE.
observations Of Prof. Cook.

''Notes Of the Year formed the subject OF
an interesting paper read before the last
annual meeting of the Michigan Bee-Keep.
ers Association, by Prof. A. J. Cook, of tie
Michigan Agricultural College. We are I'm
debted to the Lansing Republican for the fol
lowing condensed report Of the essay:
Rapid progress has been made in apiculture,
but with an army OF investigat0rs most OF
whom are entirely without scientific trsinings
faulty consultations and crude theories have
crept into apiarian literature. This behoove,
the wise apiarist not to accept every statement
made. Every apiartst should make Solomon g
fast tina. which is good" Many farmers as they
see the luxuriant fire-weed spring up in the very
track of the burning brush heap are sure that
norance is often . strong pillar on which faith
undoubtiug stands. The doctrine of the met
empsychosis is no more unscientific than that
wheat will turn e q chess yet husband
the latter. Science has long shown the utter
fallacy OF these statements. and will have to
keep battling for long years before he win see
take years to persuade iii bee-keepers
that the so-called honey dew does mot
falt NIi IKE lh., the gentle rain from heaven.
certain. That bees can change worker larvas to
drone larve Is entirely beyond the possibilities
Of these very skill!ul workers. vet doubt not
we should read them yearly In our apiarian
papers. The presence Of the spermatozoA or
sperm cells IN the egg. insures : female bee,
tissue Of . dronc larva may fecundate queen
bee. Surely such statements are unworthy .
place in our bee Journals.
found the specific canse of foul brood In . kind
Of bactereum. which he calls bacillus aloei He
thinks these are not confined to the brood, bu.
drones. and workers, and even in the sperm
cells OF the drones and ova of the queen. He
thus objects to the term foul brood as he be-
He thinks honey probably does not note contain I % the
spores. but that they-the spores-are conveyed
on the feet and antenne Of the bees. Lastly he
e. hs q not e ss s 4s s e % M
costs pheno, nor is the idea OF the mating
OF the lining of the alimentary canal with the
skin Of the lsrve original with him. - It IL >
Now. wl,ilo We should bs very glad Of this
elaborate investteaticn BY Mr.: Cheshire. we may
well p.u.e before we Join in hts cry Of Eureka!
aloei why do VIC get none Of the characteristic
cd r from them. and how arc we to explain the
cure by partial starvation which has been so
AMI many others? These well authenticated
caseA OF cure can be explained only on the
ground that the active spores are confined to
Tins OF the malady, and can only convey II In
Il II regard 70 the pollen controversy now
right temperature beer viii eat very little, will
remain very quiet, and be sure to winter well.
II such . Temperature h not maintained the
case Il u far hStter % hsys Is pollen n tie hive.
For many yeaES he had given pollen 70 some
colonies and withheld Il from othara The opin-
ion above exprf ssed is based upon the results
and rest are not safe compani0nA IL bees can
~ often pollen Will not atfcct them N.Y. He
believed the best thing to do would be to re-
move al the pollen In the fAli and return the
frames containing II 70 the hive shout April 10.
The coming bee viii hsve al the good points
of our present rnces that have onpeI1oE m<r3ta,i
and viii be secured by Cr0ss- breeding. BY ju-
dicicus croseing and careful selection we ehAH
surely reach reGpltA that shan b TO the be- u
to-day Mhat the slcek EhoethoEp n ~ the 1can
Texan kfbe q ths Western plains