REARING IMPROVED RACES. 26? 



Rearixg IMPRO^'ED Races. 



511. We will show (550) that some races of bees are 

 superior to others. Even in the same apiary , some colonies 

 are better than others, in prolificness, honey-gathering, en- 

 durance, gentleness, etc. It is very important to improve 

 the apiary by rearing queens from the best breeds, for the 

 increase of colonies, as well as to replace the inferior ones. 



To this end, the bee-keeper should select two or more of 

 the best colonies in his apiary, one for the production of 

 drones, the others for the production of queens. Italian 

 (551) bees are universally preferred; and as they are now 

 almost as easily found as common bees, and are very cheap, 

 we advise the novice to begin with at least two queens of 

 this race. 



A slight mixture of Cyj^rian or Syrian (559) blood is 

 good, provided the issue be gentle and peaceable. Hybrids 

 of common bees and Italians are often inferior, both in quality 

 and disposition, and their characteristics are not fixed. 



512. In selecting a colony for drone production, the 

 color and size of the drones should not be considered so 

 much, as the prolificness of its queen, and the qualities of 

 its workers, unless you wish to breed for beauty, in prefer- 

 ence to honey-production. 



Place two drone-combs (224) in the center of the brood- 

 chamber of this colony, as soon as it has recuperated from 

 its winter losses. If the colony is kept well supplied with 

 honej^, enough drones will be raised to impregnate all the 

 queens in the neighborhood; otherwise, they might destroy 

 these early drones after having raised them. 



If our directions on the removal of drone-comb (675) arc 

 followed, but few drones will be raised outside of those 

 colonies specially intended for drone-breeding. As soon as 

 they begin to hatch, we may make preparations for queen- 

 rearing, the best time being at the opening of fruit-blossoms. 

 Some queen-breeders begin earlier, but early breeding gives 

 much trouble and little paj^ and our advice to Northern Apiar- 

 ists, who want early queens, is to buy them from some re- 



