The San Francisco call., 1907-01-13

" roaag man who - is one Of the he
most noted bee experts in the
Cnited States. Ralph Benton comes by
Ais game honestly. for his father. now
assistant entomoiogist in the Depart
T1cat cf Agriculture at Washington. has
given long years 60 the subject OF
the domesrcation OF bees under vary
iag c.imutio conditions; and tho son,
% graduate of the Agricultural COL
lege OF Mo-gaua. is now taking a post
E,-aduate course at Berkeley along bio
,ec4i ara geological lines while hold
.= 1hc post ~ a-ssistant instructor OF
,1touolcSr in the same college.
.alFa Benton is interested in his
1r@ sa1 lsae. rhat BE is taIki0s
elt. Ie aae KS w.lh the air of "A
ea who knows hi. -u. sect thoroughly.
a1- las face l,e.s;s up in a way that
slows A.s love Ior H. lie ia very busy
at pgsfcnt preparing a bulletin which
s4e 11oat. a- College VIII issue.
GcHucs careI-. investigation OF those
cc ..a.- -..lca haze "A direct valae
tAe su' cessfL pursuit of ap.culture.
II. Benton tas many interesting and
ls4al t.i.-gs 20 say about the little
I.-e .iSers. Ilc declares that for in
-e. powcl- OF organization and
.-o---. instincts they stand az the head
'. tl- wa0lc insect triJc. lie has made
tio-r aJscrrations ~ the bee in its
oNhib.tion of pleasure, rage. fear. sur
l5rlsc and the like. and says thst q re-
-n1rilbic ght in hive is the regular
ds.it cycrcise OF the young bees. A
.ouns bee Is one barely two weeks old.
and b begins IS lifewOrS early. From
ats second day 10 the completion OF
its second week il is engaged nurse
in tho hive. This is a sedentary occu-
patton and the health OF the infant
nurse might suffer were il not that
every bright OGy between and
O'Clock thc entire corps OF nurses come
Out for their needed exercise. Twenty
minutes IS allowed for this. Upon first
coming out tho bees fly in small
Soniicirclc bUt by the time the twenty
minutes is mp the circle has increased
10 considcrabl bic ma Enitude. BY means
of this methOdical strengthening and
Nitalzing Of the muscles the young
bees are made ready for their next es-
say in lfe-that OF the honey flight
Apart from this short daily exercise
tho Young bee knows only monotony
unless an ant or other insect should
happen TO iutrude.
The wimterinE Of bees is subject
winch mas given cntoinoloRiSts iuhth
food for discussion. Antil the last few
years I'd was not known how TO pre-
serve tho bees i'm a climate where this
winter was severe. This also is
subject 10 which Mr. Benton has given
his special attention. although in Cali
fOrnia IL Is not 2 vital matter: but in
Montana Mr.. Bentons home State, he
has been largely Instrumental in the
satisfactory experimental results OF re-
cent winters. In one section Of his
bulletin he describes IN detail the ad-
vantages OF certain modes Of winter
ing. BE emphasizes the necessity OF
having = good queen bee in sthe hive;
of fOrtifying the hive with young bees
and OF having plenty OF good food in
the storerOoms, so that famine or other
unadvisable conditions may not result.
These are the primary essentials.
The real difficulties OF wintering. how
ever, arise from the need OF keeping
tho hives dry and warm. The warm
air eXuding from the bodies OF the bees
comes IN contact with the cold OF the
honeycombs, thus producing moisture
with no chance OF immediate evapora-
tion. The result OF such a condition is
soured honey, most pernicious in its
effect gpon the bees.