Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-06-07

tied eggs, little worms representing
development of a day or two, and
other young bees in different stages up
to eating their way out of the cells in
which they had come to maturity.
"Although all the eggs in hive are
laid by the same queen" Mr.. Simpson
explained, "they may be developed
either into workers, drones or queens.
The drone natures in "a days, the
worker IN 81 days and the queen in only
16 days. The bees can make queen
themselves whenever they want one.
Suppose the present queen should die,
for instance. The bees would imme-
diately 60 to work and build cone
shaped cap over one of these cells in
which you see an egg. Then, by feed.
ing her a different kind of food-'royal
jelly, the bee men call it-they will
bring her to maturity within 16 days.
As to whether they really give her a
different kind of food do not know.
I am inclined to think that they mere
ly give her the same kind that they
feed to others, only more of it,"
While on the same subject, Mr..
Simpson said that the worker bees live
from about three to six weeks In sum-
mer time, and from three to six months
in the winter time. The average life
of queen is from two to three years,
although sometimes they live five or six
years. "In keeping the purity of your
stock" he said, "of course, everything
depends upon your queen. l won't
have anything but the Italian bee if I
can help it; but 1 find it very difficult
to keep them. absolutely pure. I.
bought my first queen in August, 1880,
from DR.. Brown, of Augusta, and paid
him $3.50 for her. After that, about
four years ago, imported a, queen
bee direct from Italy. She cost Sc,
and was II days coming over. She
lived until about year ago, and by
means of her, have been enabled to
maintain my colonies at high stand
ard"
Here Mr.. Simpson called my atten-
ton to a dozen or more bees that were
posted on the platform at the entrance
of hive, buzzing their wings with a
humming noise. "These," he ex-
planned, "are engaged in ventilating the
hive. During weather like this, there
is a great deal of heat inside. If you
should stop up the entrace for 10 min
utes, the whole interior would collapse
sticky mass and kill the entire colo
ny. With their wings these bees are
creating an outgoing current that
serves to keep down the temperature.
They work for about =15 minutes that
way, when they are relieved by as
many fresh bees from the inside. This
is kept up all during the hottest part
of the day." I expressed surprise at
this remal kable piece of sagaciLy, and
Mr.. Simpson went on to relate another
popularity of the organization that
was no less interesting. "In seasons
like this" he said, "when not much
honey is being made, there is dispo-
sition on the part of the bees of one
colony to 60 out and rob the stores of
another. I can show you at each hive
guards that are especially placed for
protection against robbers, and when
ever bee of another colony attempts
to enter where he has no right, I can
show you fight"
About that time an angry bee COM
menced buzzing at my ear. 1t was the
first time that had been molested in
the least, and began to fear that may
be her business was to drive away un-
welcome newspaper men. Mr.. Simp-
son sent puff or two Of smoke at her;
but she paid no attention TO that. 1
was tempted to ask him to tell her to
please 60 away; but, instead, he con-
cluded, of his own accord, that the
only thing to be done for her was to
knock her down, which he did. After
that 1 felt more comfortable; but at
the same time it occurred to me that
/ could just as we'll get such further in
formation as I wanted up nearer the
house.
Mr.. Simpson explained that there
are three honey making seasons dur
ing the year. The first is from about
the middle of April up to the goth of
May. During this season bees depend
upon fruit and flower blooms, soft ma
pie and poplar buds. They don't usu-
ally begin to make any surplus until
May, and then the quality is not of the
best. From the Goth of May until
about the middle of July, there fol-
lows an idle season, during which not
much surplus honey is made-practi-
cally none. The first good honey OF
the year is made during the month fol-
lowing the middle of July. 1t is
made almost entirely from cotton
blooms, and is usually so transparent
that objects may be discerned through
quart of it. The flavor is also de-