107 



mental and strong characteristics, as regards honey-gathering powers, 

 prolificness, energy, and general activity, which are inherent in this 

 lace. Yet, in accomplishing the result just indicated, it was particu- 

 larly desirable to avoid the extreme irritability of the eastern type. 

 A series of experiments was begun by the writer in the years 1883-84 

 in Munich, Germany, and continued in subsequent years in Carniola, 

 Austria, looking to the production of a type which should possess the 

 traits just indicated. After many crosses between the queens and 

 drones of each race, starting at times with the Cyprian and again 

 with the Carniolan, it seemed apparent that the temper and consti- 

 tution were largely derived from the male side, Avhile prolificness 

 and energ}'^ in honey production seemed likely to be transmitted from 

 the female side. The proposition was, therefore, laid down that in 

 all crosses the drones must come from a gentle, hardy race, while the 

 mothers Avere to be selected from a race noted for prolificness, early 

 breeding qualities, and whose worker bees showed the highest energy 

 in honey collecting. As representing, at that time, the two types 

 which had best be utilized in this combination the Cyprians were 

 selected for the blood of the queens and the Carniolans to produce 

 the males; the' resulting product, .in order to indicate its origin, was 

 named the Cyprio-Carniolan. Since the year 1885 these bees have 

 been bred and tested under most varying conditions, with the result 

 that wherever the principles above mentioned have been followed 

 in their selection and breeding they have given great satisfaction as 

 to the quantity of honey obtained. Indeed, a practical honey pro- 

 ducer in southern California stated recently that, while he was 

 obliged to feed his Italian bees during this dry year to keep them 

 from starving, the crosses obtained with the Cyprian race had some 

 30 to 10 pounds in each of their colonies. In form and coloration 

 the Cyprio-Carniolans approach more nearly the Cyprian type than 

 the Carniolan. Likewise m their manner of flight and many other 

 peculiarities they resemble the Cyprians; but in hardiness and, to a 

 great extent, in temper, particularly in their readiness to yield to 

 smoke, they resemble, to quite a degree, the Carniolan race. 



These experiments, which have been carried on in recent years in 

 my private apiaries in and near the city of Washington, have fre- 

 quently enabled me to secure considerable material illustrating vari- 

 ability in the crossing of different types; and this has been of some 

 service, also, to various workers in zoology wdio have taken up 

 problems of this nature. 



FUTURE WORK. 



In view of tlie results obtained by the use of males of a gentler race, 

 the plan is, during the coming year, to utilize in this respect the newly 

 imported Caucasians, producing thus the Cyprio-Caucasian type and 



