THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



77 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Ill Tempered Bees not, upon the whole, 

 undesirable. 



Since the introduction of the Italian honey 

 bee into northern Europe and America, much 

 has heen said and "written concerning the com- 

 parative temper of the Italian and black races, 

 and that of the hybrids. 



It seems to be pretty generally acknowledged 

 that the Italians are, under some circumstances, 

 more gentle than the black race ; but that the 

 hybrids are almost invariably more cross than 

 either when pure. Still there are questions 

 about the former statement, and queries about 

 the reason for the latter; and I apprehend it 

 not difficult to give the one key to the fact in 

 both cases. 



Admitting that the Italians are natively a 

 more hardy, sprightly, and superior variety, 

 may not the whole secret of difference in tem- 

 per and comparative superiority lie in " in and 

 in" and "cross" breeding? And may not 

 these two stand more nearly related than has 

 heretofore been supposed ? 



I believe it to be the case with black bees, 

 that, should an apiary be built up from one 

 stock, and for years no intermixture allowed 

 with any other, the necessary incestuous rela- 

 tionship of this increasing community would 

 have the effect to render them very docile ; and 

 this just in proportion as their constitutional 

 vigor deteriorated, until a general decline would 

 wind up the community with moth worms, or 

 some other casuaby, in spite of care. This is 

 just what has been acted over and over again, 

 with farmers trying to keep bees from one 

 stock at a distance from other bee stands or 

 apiaries. 



And this I believe will be precisely the case 

 with the Italians, only that, being a superior 

 race, they might weather under incestuous rela- 

 tions longer than the black bees. The Italians 

 may probably be much improved, by frequent 

 selections of new queens to breed from, taken 

 from a different locality in Italy, or where pure 

 unrelated queens could be found ; particularly 

 if their community was governed by the Kohler 

 or some other efficient process, and stranger af- 

 finities constantly sought. But would it not be 

 found that grea'er peccability of temper will at- 

 tend the result ? I think so; and in proof let me 

 urge the fact that some of the greatest chronicled 

 results in honey gathering have been with the 

 first cross of the two races. These very stocks 

 are noted for being "cross" — that is, they arc 

 superior in defending their rights, or, in other 

 words, there is more of the "bee" about them; 

 and perhaps others than myself have noticed 

 that where black bees from different and unre- 

 lated — or not much related — sources mingle, 

 the vigor of both seems renewed and their tem- 

 per quickened. I will far rather have "cross 

 hybrids" than docile "in and in bred" pure 

 Italians, or any quiet — almost run out — black 

 bees that any one can handle. Take the bees 

 whose lightning thrusts, when aroused, will 

 make one jump from every side instanter, and 

 these have the "bee" about them— they will send 



out the swarms, and store up the honey. At 

 least so I thick, and without being too positive 

 in advancing a somewhat new theory. Yet not 

 altogether new, either ; for the superiority of 

 mixed races, and — so far as possible — of unrela- 

 ted breeding, is known to belong to other de- 

 partments of the animal kingdom. Why ex- 

 clude it from bee-land ? Allow the suggestion 

 that with this theory a value is to be attached 

 to the Kohler process, now perhaps thought of 

 by few — however it may force our best apia- 

 rians to put on bee hat and gloves ; and teach 

 us that, with rightly bred Italians, even an open 

 hive is not the place to sit on, especially on a 

 cool day, when little honey has been gathered ! 

 J. W. Truesdell. 

 Warwick, P. Q., Canada, Sept. 9, 1868. 

 — ■ ^»- 



[For the American Bee Journal. ] 



Italian Bees and Red Clover. 



Before I procured the Italian bees, I saw it 

 stated in circulars that they would gather hon- 

 ey quite freely from red clover ; but experience 

 has convinced me that this is a mistake. I 

 have several colonies of pure Italians, and this 

 section of country abounds in red clover, and 

 there is but little white clover. I have watched 

 the bees, and have seen only one on red clover 

 this season, and it left it immediately in appar- 

 ent disgust and disappointment. 



P. R. Russell. 



Bolton, Mass., Sept. 1868. 



Hamburg Brown Honey Cake. 



The flour intended for this cake should bo 

 well dried aud sifted, before being weighed. 

 Then take twelve pounds of flour and twelve 

 pounds of honey ; bring the honey to a boiling 

 heat, pour it in the flour, and mix thoroughly. 

 Dissolve two and a half ounces of pearlash in 

 two gills of rose-water, the evening before. 

 Take one pound of butter or lard, two table- 

 spoons full of West India rum, the grated rind 

 of two lemons, the candied or sugar-coated rind 

 of two orauges, and a very small quantity of 

 pounded cloves. The solution of pearlash is to 

 be added when the dough has become cool, aud 

 the mass must be thoroughly kneaded. 



The dough may be prepared several days in 

 advance of the baking. 



Brown Cake. 



To four pounds of flour take four pounds of 

 honey, one-half pound of pulverized loaf or 

 lump sugar, one-half ounce of Canella, 3 ounces 

 lard, a small quantity of cloves, one ounce of 

 pearlash, one gill of rose-water, and two spoons- 

 ful of rum or French brandy. 



The honey and lard are to be incorporated by 

 boiling, and when again cooled off, add the 

 pearlash previously dissolved in the rose-water. 

 Knead the mass well, let it stand several days, 

 and then work it over again very thoroughly. 



Some persons prefer to omit the cloves, and 

 substitute for them pounded cardamon seeds, 

 grated lemon peel, or sugar-coated orange peel. 



Bardowick. W. Luhvan. 



