If a necessity exists for wires in foundation, then perhaps the wired frames are best. That but few of those in attendance at the Northwestern Convention “had given wired foundation a fair trial,” was undoubtedly owing to the fact that the great majority of those present had never experienced the necessity for using wires; and it might be difficult to convince a considerable minority of the bee-keepers in the country that wired foundation is even desirable for general use. Of course, for special purposes, such as migratory bee-keeping, shipping in summer, etc., where not to be transferred from the frames, wired-frames might be very desirable.
[ Interesting Letter from Ceylon.]
Through the courtesy of Mr. D. A. Jones, we are permitted to publish the following letter. Anything relating to the peregrinations of Mr. Benton in the far East, and any discoveries of new races of bees he may effect, will possess a great attraction for our readers. His next letter, from Singapore, will be awaited with interest.
I found on examination that every queen was alive upon my arrival in Pointe de Galle, though some of the nuclei were greatly depopulated, owing to the death of many bees, and would not have lived to reach Java had I not gotten off in Ceylon. By the next steamer I go to Singapore. I have made every effort to secure bees here, but none are kept in hives in those ports I have visited, and I do not think in any port of the Island.
Of those found in trees few can be secured, because the trees are valuable cocoanut palms, and the entrance holes are in the trunk of course, and are very small. I have obtained three hives only of the small bees, having also spent some time fixing up the bees I brought with me, and trying to find the large bees, to say nothing of searching for some place where bees could be purchased in hives or pots. The natives are far worse than Cypriotes to get along with and accomplish anything. They seem to tell lies simply for the sake of giving an answer, where no pecuniary gain could come to them. Again, they seem to wish to avoid saying “I do not know,” when the Lord knows it would be the most appropriate thing for them to say in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. The result is that it is hard work to sift the statements made by the natives, and Europeans—nearly all English—know absolutely nothing of value to us.
The new bees, which I think are also found in India and many of the East India Islands (in which case East India bees would seem to me an appropriate name), are real beauties. The workers are 3/8 of an inch long, and build worker comb 5/8 of an inch thick, 36 cells to the square inch. The drone comb is exactly the size, and like worker comb made by the bees already in Europe and America. The workers are brown with a very ringed abdomen, the bands to the tip of the body being broadly marked with yellow, and thorax very fuzzy, with a large shield between the wings; the drones are black, inclining to a blue-black, and are ½ of an inch long; the queens are leather-colored, and large compared with the workers. These bees are very active, wonderful breeders, regular little beauties, and can be handled without the least smoke, scarcely ever offering to sting. It is a pity I cannot get more of them during my stay.
I am determined to find out whether Apis dorsata is to be found here, if time will permit, and if two more races I have heard of here really do exist. I am now where a few shillings of railway fare will bring me to the interior of the Island. More by next mail, with samples of bees and comb.
I have had a horrible time getting stung with large hornets while in the jungles. It laid me up for one whole day. These are fearful fellows, worse than those in Cyprus.
F. Benton.
Colombo, Ceylon, Jan. 24, 1881.
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