208 THE GARDENER. [May 



I have only dealt with black bees in straw skeps, because they are 

 in a majority in this neighbourhood at present, and are better known, 

 if not better understood, than Italian, Alpine, or Ligurian bees ; but 

 in a few years it is to be hoped a better state of things will be brought 

 about. The Ligurian bees are hardier, fiercer, more "robust, and more 

 fertile than the English honey-bees, and they both work earlier and 

 later in the season, and live longer ; and what is of more importance, 

 they are furnished with a longer tongue or proboscis, by which they 

 can reach farther into the nectaries of flowers and blossoms, and so 

 can get honey from sources which the English bees cannot reach ; 

 this would be particularly exemplified in a bad season, when the 

 Ligurians would absorb the honey before any came within reach of 

 ordinary English bees, and often before they left their hives in the 

 morning, and the latter must slowly starve and dwindle away. My 

 own opinion on the question of breed in bees is, that neither race in 

 its purity is so good as the offspring from an Italian queen which has 

 been fertilised by a black or English drone bee. Pure Italian bees 

 are very beautiful creatures, and perhaps are, on that account, thought 

 more of than they otherwise would be. But it appears to my judg- 

 ment, from long experience, that the half-breeds, being a mixed race, 

 are more to be desired for their working powers and fecundity. I 

 recommend the introduction of the Italian element in the queen by 

 means of a queen -cell, because, when hatched, her drones in the 

 swarming season are certain to be pure Italians ; and if her working 

 offspring should be pure, it would enable her owner to Ligurianise 

 all his stock with pure queen-cells of his own raising from her brood. 

 The purity of the offspring will, of course, depend on the source of 

 fertilisation ; if by means of a black drone, the workers will be of a 

 hybrid character, but the drones will be pure, as the drone-eggs are 

 not influenced by the fluid in the spermatheca. 



The manipulation of bees on movable framed hives should be 

 made a subject of itself, but could be much better understood from 

 actual observation ; and in that respect I can assure those who take 

 an interest in bees and their management, that during the ensuing 

 spring and summer I shall be most happy to show them the whole 

 matter, with perfect safety to themselves, and, I trust, to their entire 

 satisfaction. 



The past year (18G9) was a very bad one for bees, particularly 

 during the month of June. At that period swarms were very busy 

 filling their hives with combs, and feeding the young larvae as they 

 were developed ; and this, as is natural with them, to such an extent 

 as to leave no more stores in the hives than would be required for 

 immediate consumption. They were instinctively trusting to the 



