THE AMEBIC AN APICULTURIST. 



59 



ing, theoretically, however, that we 

 should be careful in our assertions 

 of their superiority, for nature seems 

 almost to abhor hybrids. 



This is the result of all scientific 

 study. Species are removed from 

 each other beyond the limits of pos- 

 sibility to intercross. To this rule it 

 is true there are some exceptions. 



Botanical geography and system- 

 atic botany show us that where spe- 

 cies bratich off into those permanent 

 sports called varieties, there may be 

 intermediate forms in intermediate 

 localities ; but that these latter tend 

 to die out, while the species and its 

 variety, or the two varieties, as the 

 case may be, extend their limits 

 toward each other, crowding out the 

 connecting links and remaining dis- 

 tinct, though iinally growing side by 

 side or at least, in close proximity to 

 each other. In stock-breeding as 

 in poultry-raising for example, crosses 

 are not as a rule consiclered best. 

 In my limited experience, out of 

 the crossing of several varieties of 

 fowls, only one cross was superior to 

 the pure breeds, and this only par- 

 tially so. And it is an established 

 principle, that with hybrid breeding- 

 stock, the progeny deteriorate, gene- 

 ration by generation. Hence the 

 instances of successful permanent 

 crosses are more rare than are those 

 where the first crosses are superior 

 to pure stock. 



Those who advocate the crossing 

 of races "to combine their desirable 

 qualities," do not seem to take into 

 consideration the combining of their 

 undesirable points. 



The principle of selection applied 

 to existing and regular forms is Na- 

 ture's basis and the true basis, for 

 the establishment of varieties, races 

 or species, and for improving upon 

 the same. 



I do not rise up to say that hybrid 

 races of bees are not superior ; but, in 

 the light of general facts, I do not see 

 how they should be. The trial which 

 I propose might go far toward estab- 



lishing some reliable basis of belief. 

 It is as follows : Let all beekeepers 

 who will, and the more the better, 

 take queens and bees of as many 

 races and hybrids as they can pro- 

 cure. ■ Weigh the bees and be sure 

 that all stocks are of equal weight. 

 Place them all on the same day, in the 

 early part of the season, in hives con- 

 taining precisely equal amounts of 

 comb-foundation and empty space. 

 If it be necessary to add bees to any 

 stock to complete the weight, cage 

 the queen for a short time thereafter. 

 A few frames should be filled with 

 foundation, to give the bees a start, 

 and others should be left with only 

 starters, as tests of comb-building. 

 Whatever treatment is given should 

 be just the same for all. Now take 

 careful note of the progress of each 

 colony as follows : — Date of draw- 

 ing out foundation ; date of filling 

 empty frames with comb ; respective 

 weights at different dates : date and 

 number of swarms ; amount of sur- 

 plus ; peculiar conditions, natural or 

 accidental, internal or external, that 

 might influence the result. Such a 

 trial on the part of one person would 

 be of limited value ; but, if carried on 

 by many persons in many places, 

 their reports to the "Apiculturist" 

 would form an aggregate whose reli- 

 ability would be great indeed. 

 Gonzales, Cal. 



INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



Bv D. r. Savage. 



In "Api" for Oct. you request "those 

 who have purchased queens from the 

 Apiculturist Bee Farm, and intro- 

 duced successfully" to ^ give their 

 method for publication. 



June 25, I received queen as 

 above, all right, having been in the 

 mail bags three days and travelled 

 hundreds of miles. 



At one o'clock I v/ent to a popu - 



