Sec. 10.] BEES, AND THE PROFITABLE PRODUCTIO}^ OF IIOXEY. 175 



United States, and importations have been made for that purpose. The plan 

 is to breed queens, which, after being impregnated, are introduced into com- 

 mon hives, after removing the oUl <jueen. 



A writer in the Country Gentleman newspaper gives the following as the 

 history of the introdjiction ofltaliiin bees into this country. He says: 



"Mr. r. J. Mahan, of Philadelphia, is mentioned 'as being the first to 

 land this new variety on our shores.' As a matter of history, 1 would state 

 that this is not so. For several years past the attempt has been made yearly 

 by Mr. llichard Colvin, of Baltimore, Samuel Wagoner, of York, Pa., and 

 llev. L. L. Langstroth. These attempts were unsuccessful, owing to bad 

 packing and mismanagement in transportation, until the autumn of 1S50, 

 when Mr. Colvin received some Italian stocks, and ho])ed to have queens 

 from them for sale the past season, but these stocks, unfortunately, did not 

 survive the winter. Next in order of date is Mr. Mahan's importation from 

 Germany, which was successful on account of his personal supervi.-ion. 

 Shortly after Mr. Mahan's importation, Mr. S. B. Parsons, of Flu.shing, Long 

 Island, succeeded in getting a few swarms alive from Italy. From them he 

 has succeeded, aided by several skillful apiarians, in raishig a large number 

 of queens, which have been sent to nearly every State in the Union, includ- 

 ing California, under the supervision of Mr. Bigelow, a successful apiarian. 



"The last successful importation was by Messrs. Colvin and Wagoner. 

 All the above named are exerting themselves to multiply their stocks of 

 Italian bees, and they will doubtless have a demand for all the queens and 

 stocks they can supply next season, as the interest in this new bee is deserv- 

 edly increasing. The question will naturally arise, Of whom shall I i)ur- 

 chaso ? Are these importations equally reliable, and if so, have all taken 

 the same pains and been equally successful in keeping the breed pure ? I 

 wtiuld here remark that some situations are more favorable for maintaining 

 purity than others. The Italian bees now in this country are from three 

 diiferent sources, and every one should decide for himself to which stock lie 

 should give the i)referencc, and if the most reliable man and the most reli- 

 able bee can be found working together. 



" Two of the Importations are from Germany, and one from Italy. Of the 

 importation from Italy there can be no reason to question its purity. The 

 two importations from Germany are from ditierent breeders. One of the 

 importations from Germany I have the fullest confidence in from jiersonal 

 inspection ; and if the other be ocjually good, we are in a fair jiositiou to 

 have the country well supplied witli i>ure stock in a few years, provided 

 sufficient interest is taken to maintain purity." 



22S. Reasons for KfopiiiR Bees. — In this section we have only aimed to say 

 just enough to encourage every reader to keep bees, who has anything like 

 fair tacilities for them to obtain a supply of honey from gardens and fields, 

 whiclr thev will do if within a mile, and some bee-keepers say if within two 

 miles. But it is not profitable to allow bees to go so far. when the bee-keeper 

 has land upon whicii hctiau grow bee-food just as well as he can grow food 



