The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-11-03

adition to American citizenship and
IN, he afforded every facility and in
aueement to immigrate TO the United
states and engage in the skilled labor
n which it has no peer. This is the
Giant East Indian honey bee, and in
vestigation of it's work and immense
eapacty for making honey and wax
has Interested the department of agri-
mnure in the consideration Of an early
ssort to introduce il into the United
states.
Secretary Wilson said in connection
9TH the proposed importation of these
ees TO the United States, that a spe-
,ial appropriation would be asked in
his coming report to congress for the
Investigation of the bees Of the world,
and q swarm of the big Philippine
honeymakcrs would be- brought 20 Am
erica as soon as the question OF their
value and the possibility OF their ac-
cllmatization has been fully determin-
ed. There will also be an appropria-
ton requested for the study Of the
agricultural and kindred products of
the newly acquired territory OF the
United States, and even under this
head the great honey bees OF the east
could be introduced by the department
10 this country. To scientists this
bee Is known as apis dorsata, a spe-
cies common throughout the tropical
regions OF the east, and in the Phil
ppine islands the largest variety of
this species is found. 1t is nearly one
half larger than our native honey bee
and builds comb, heavy with wax
and honey, five or six times IA large IS
the ones that are found in American
orchards and forests. In addition 30
the enormous manufacturing capacity
of this particular bee its introduction
will have the important effect Of Sc
curing from some of the richest hon
ey-bearing plants of the United States
the sweet juices which now remain
ungathered. The propagation and in
crease of these plants will also be i'm
measurabiy assisted by other services
| the big bees will render. These extra
ordinary results will be brought about
for the reason that the giant of the
cast has a tongue nearly twice as long
as our native bees. All these little
Wrkers get at the honey in the flow
S with their tongues; but many bios
0ms have such deep wells that our
Gative bees cannot reach it, and, know
ing this through inherited tradition.
never try. The principal honeybear-
ing flower which our native bees find
too hard problem for their limited
honey pumps is red clover. The long
tongues of the big Philippine bees
would find these clover blossoms a
mine of sweetness, and thousands OF
tons of honey would he yielded up that
Is now practically loss TO the world
In return for the honey these bees
would find in the red clover their in
PRODUCTION to that plant would prove
an inestimable assistance 10 its re-
production. Bees play a most import
ant part in this operation, carrying As
they do the pollen OF one flower to
another, the fertilizing powder cling
ing to the limbs and body OF the little
insect The question Of the POSSIBLE
ity Of acclimatizing these inhabitants
of the Philippines in the colder lati-
tudes OF America is not discouraging.
The giant bees are found in the noun
tain regions all through India and
have been seen busily at work at alti-
tudes OF 5000 feet. In the Philippine
Islands their colonies are most numer-
Gus in the mountains, as the indefati-
gable quest of the natives for their
honey combs has driven them TO the
less thickly inhabited regions. The
Fllipinos find their daily bread u rath-
er easy proposition, but they are fond
OF honey on the staff Of life, and wax
Is next to gold in its attractions for
fortune-seekers. In the east wax is
a principal article of staple commerce.
due to the manner in which the clothes
worn by the natives are dyed. These
clothes when fresh woven are covered
with thin layer Of wax, leaving ex-
posed the portions which 1t is desired
to dye. The cloth Is then soaked in
the dye and the wax which covers and
protects the fiber where IL has been
spread prevents any OF the waxed
parts from taking up the color. This
manner OF dyeing Is so general in the
east that there is n tremendous de-
mand for wax at all times. The wax
also is exported in large quantities to
Europe for making candles. The COM
mercial probabilities Of the introduce
uon and increase Of the giant bees 20
ne United States would principally
AFFECT the production of wax. This
commodity has risen so greatly in
price through the invention OF the
sraphophone that the manufacturers
WAY proGc .,f%ay, har~ hoon MI fnnnf