_East Saginaw, Mich._
[For the American Bee Journal.]
Italian Queens.
MR. EDITOR:--Since so much has been said of late about Italian queens,
(especially cheap ones,) I feel it my duty, in justice to Mr. Alley, to
say, that I purchased one of his $2.50 queens last June and have bred
sixteen queens from her, besides a host of drones and workers; and the
facts are, first, her progeny are all three-banded; second, she is the
most prolific queen in my apiary; third, her workers are very
industrious; fourth and last, I am not at all out of patience because
she cost me only $2.50. Five dollars will not buy her to-day; and if I
have the good luck to keep her till next June (supposing she is young,
as claimed by Mr. Alley), I shall not want to part with her for two
fives. All who have seen her and her workers, pronounce them beauties;
and Italian bees are nothing new in these parts.