The Washington herald., 1907-10-13

Tokyo. Oct. 12-American bees are be-
ing introduced into Japan to rouse the
bee Of native growth from its IamentabIs
laziness.
BY means OF the American immigrant
1t is hoped to change the face Of Jap8n.
and already there has been a marvellous
improvement IN the quality Of the fruit
trees that grow in that country.
The usefulness Of the bee as a fertilizer
is remarkable. Travelling from flower TO
flower. each time that II alights some
grains OF pollen cling to It's tiny feet.
These are dropped on its visit to the next
flower
: BY this means the pollen or seed-bear-
ing powder Of the flower Is mingled with
shat of another, some such process being
essential to the productiveness of the
flower
Lazy japanese Bees.
In Japan, however. the native bees are
so lazy that they do not skim from flower
to flower. Ike the bees that We know.
The result is a decided inferiority Of jan
anese pears and apples and all fruits
whose blossoming depends on the actiFity
OF the bee
Recently japanese agriculturists hit
upon the plan of importing a species Of
bee more active than the native worker.
and the result of their experiments has
more than equaled expectation
Extraordinary success has already been
attained BY japanese. farmers who have
introduced golden queen bees from Amer
lea into native hives, that Japan may
have a race Of vigorous bees Of her own.
Her majesty has mated, in each case,
with native bee. and the progeny have
proved agile. highly intelligent little
creatures. which have already caused
perceptibIe Improvement in apples, pears,
tomatoes. eueumbsrs, and melons.
Massacre OF the Singles.
When beehives were introduced into
Australia they set 20 work to extermiEate
the native stingless bee. but the golden
bee is so amiabe that SO far no such dis
astrous behayior has been reported in
Japan.
Each queen travels in a box inches BY
2lz inches, with eight compartments, two
being filled with honey and sugar. She
occupies the royal suite with eighteen to
twenty-five handmaidens. OF slaves, who
feed and battle her. polish her tresses.
and preen her wings.
But even thus she cannot travel 1000
miles without a rest, for confinement
weakens her. so bee hotels have been
openedat Los Angeles in California. and
ar Honolulu At each place she is en-
tertained for week among other bees
5000 Eggs a Day.
From early May until October queen
bee lays from 2.aoe to 3.0o0 eggs a day.
She works fifteen minutes at a time, and
rests FIVE
But these are not princess" eggs. Tbs
queen lays those specially, and when her
daughters emerge she destroys them, un-
less scientifically prevented.
Each princess = eventually sent out to
secure g mate. She mounts into the sun
shine. pursued by countless suitors, until
at last one valiant lover surpaSses all the
rest and claims his buzzing bride.
Her romance is tragically brief. Her
consort dies after the first embrace, and
she returns 70 the hive to five for five or
six years.
The golden bee rarely stings. and may
be handled almost with impunity One
hive alone has collected annually 1s5
worth from S25 TO Slo0 apiece.
The importation Of golden queen bees
into Japan on large scale is one Of the
most remarkable agricultural and horti-
cultural enterprises in history