ABOUT BEES 



331 



scarcely any other kind is now kept. Some of the other races 

 of bees are Cyprian from Cyprus; Syrian from the Holy 

 Land; Egyptian from Egypt; and Corniolan from Corniola, 

 Austria. The Italians are so much liked because they are 

 gentle and do not often sting. When Italians become crossed 

 with other races, the hybrids are usually very nervous and 



77. LOCATION OF APIAEY 

 The trees give shade and the fence and building protect from wind. 



irritable. The Cyprians probably gather more honey than any 

 other race. There is record of one colony of these bees hav- 

 ing gathered one thousand pounds of honey in one season. 



A colony or swarm of bees at the beginning of the honey 

 season usually consists of 30,000 to 40,000 worker bees, a 

 queen, and perhaps several hundred drones. Besides these 

 there are several combs containing young bees not yet fully 

 developed. 



The honey-bee is developed from an egg just like other in- 

 sects. (See Chapter XXVII.) The queen bee lays the egg in 



