298 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



for doubting that mutations were involved. Of the fact that years 

 of close selection has made this distinctive strain what it is, there 

 can be no doubt, but that mutations were used should also be evi- 

 dent for the mutability of the Italian has been repeatedly demon- 

 strated. 



FABTHENOGENESIS A HEI.F. 



The parthenogenetic development of the male bee is considered 

 by some to be a great hindrance to rapid work in securing an im- 

 proved type, but should rather be the greatest of all aids, as it obvi- 

 ates the necessity of seeing that all drone producing colonies are 

 headed by queens of pure mating. 



Though the mating problem is truly a serious one, it is by no 

 means so difficult as to be any bar to real progress. W'here another 

 extensive apiary is in close proximity and furnishing hordes of in- 

 ferior drones, of course an effectual l^arrier to progress is presented. 

 The only relief from such a contingency is to move, ^^'ith but few 

 other bees within a radius of three or four miles, such will soon 

 become Italianized and prove no hindrance to operations. Not 

 always is it the case, but the drones used in fertilizing queens should 

 and can, owing to parthenogenesis, be all the descendants of one 

 mother, which is, of course, the breeding queen used the preceding 

 year. When desirable to add new blood, to avoid consanguinity, 

 or to try out another stock of bees, it should be introduced through 

 the medium of the drones. 



SEI.ECT HONEV-FBODUCIITG STOCK AS BBEEDERS. 



Without doubt the most serious difficulty that is encountered 

 in this work is to make intelligent selection of breeding queens. No 

 queen should be used as a breeder unless her workers are above the 

 average as honey gatherers and right here is where a mistake will 

 be made, unless most discriminating judgment is used, and one has 

 a practical knowledge of the natural laws surrounding the produc- 

 tion of honey. Colonies that store above the average are generally 

 those in which brood-rearing was so regulated that it had a strong 

 force of workers of the right age and at exactly the critical moment 

 to take advantage of the flow and may be either blacks or hybrids. 

 Strictly, therefore, in regard to high yields one needs be governed 

 largely by the conditions of the colony as a whole, at the time of 

 selection, and also its previous management. Plainly, if one is not 

 thoroughly familiar with the scientific points involved in the pro- 

 duction of honey, he will be most certain to select a queen to be- 

 come the head and cornerstone of his entire apiary that is not a 

 mutation in the sense he expected. 



The golden Italian strain marks an epoch in breeding for im- 

 provement and the builders of it are worthy of the utmost praise. 



