408 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



GOLDEN, OR FIVE-BANDED, BEE. 



W. H. Bright, Mazeppa. 



This is a subject that I feel somewhat timid about taking- up. Be- 

 ing a breeder of this class of bees, and they being- condetnned by- 

 some of our fraternity, it makes me feel as though I was on forbid- 

 den ground; but what is said will be from a practical and not from 

 a theoretical standpoint. 



It has been fairly demonstrated by good authority that any unde- 

 sirable trait may be bred out of any race of bees, such as a desire to 

 swarm, etc. It may take years of careful breeding to bring this 

 about, but it has been done to a certain extent. This being the case, 

 the breeder could breed to any trait desired. We, as bee-keepers, 

 may differ in what we consider to be the most desirable points; nor 

 do I wonder at this, for so much depends on circumstances, such as 

 locality and the purpose for which they are to be used. Right here 

 I want to give a list of the qualities most to be desired for this 

 locality and for general purposes: Prolificness, 20 per cent.; size, 10 

 per cent.; hardiness, 10 per cent.; gentleness, 15 per cent.; color, 15 

 per cent.; longevity, 10 per cent.; industry, 20 per cent. 



You may think that I have placed too many points on color, but I 

 find, by experience, that color is one of the essential points, and it 

 should stand next to industry and prolificness in obtaining a perfect 

 race of bees. That is where you can obtain it without losing sight 

 of other valuable qualities. Let a manufacturer of sections claim 

 that it does not make any particular difference about the snow- 

 whiteness of the section he is making, how long will he be able to 

 sell them? Does the color add anything to the sweetness of the 

 honey built in those sections? But it does have something to do with 

 the sale of the honey. As American people all desire things that are 

 pleasing to the eye as well as to the taste, let us not be too quick to 

 condemn something that we all admire. Can this extra yellow color 

 be obtained without breeding Italian with Cyprian or Cyrian bees? 

 As I have already stated, we can breed to any trait we desire. 



By careful selection of the finest marked bees from pure Italians, 

 we can produce these golden bees in a few seasons. G. M. Doolittle 

 states that we can obtain this golden color without crossing the 

 Italian with any other breed. These bees have given entire satisfac- 

 tion with me and my customers ; I have not had one word of com- 

 plaint from any one. They seem to enter the super quicker, and 

 swarming is not indulged in quite as much as with common Italians. 

 They are easily handled and cling to the combs while working with 

 them. They are good to defend their homes. In fact, they seem to 

 have as many or luore of the desirable qualities than the common 

 Italians, and I must say that they afford me much pleasure as well as 

 profit, as I have to pass by the yard going to and from my work, and 

 I always stop and feast my eyes on those golden beauties. 



