DADANT SYSTEM OF BEEKEEPING 89 



Queens will mate with drones from colonies a mile, or two or 

 more away. We believe the drone travels the greater part of the 



distance. 



Some beekeepers rear queens from the very best honey- 

 producing colony in their apiary, regardless of whether the 

 bees of that colony are of pure breed. We do not. Experience 

 has taught us that fixed qualities are very rare in hybrids. Be- 

 sides, the workers produced by a hybrid queen are usually cross 

 in disposition. Pure Italians have our preference. There are 

 other races equally good, such as the Caucasian. But Caucasian 

 bees are of gray color and a slight mixture with the common 

 race is difficult if not impossible to detect. Italians are very 

 good bees and have the advantage of showing impure blood 

 readily. We prefer them to any other race. We have tried the 

 Cyprian, the Carniolan and the Caucasian. The latter we would 

 take, next to the Italians. The Cyprian are too cross. The Car- 

 niolan show too great a propensity for swarming. 



Queen Introduction 



Some very practical men introduce queens in hives, dur- 

 ing the honey crop, by simply removing the old queen, smok- 

 ing the hive thoroughly for a little while, allowing the new 

 queen to run in at the entrance and closing the entrance for a 

 few minutes. This method has its drawbacks, for it is unsafe 

 in any but a good honey-gathering season. Some people believe 

 in making the colony queenless ahead of time. We don't. We 

 wait till the new queen is there before removing the old one. We 

 believe it a good plan to cage the old queen, for an hour or two 

 previous to killing her, in the cage in which the new queen is to 

 be introduced. It gives the cage the odor of the old queen and 

 appears to make safe introduction more secure. Caging the 

 queen on the brood-comb for a couple of days, we consider the 

 best method of introduction. W T e have had less losses with this, 

 method than with any other. 



