338 THE BEEKEEPERS' REVIEW 



month of May was very unfavorable for the bees. It was very 

 wet and cold and it seems the bees lost nearly what they had gained 



in April. 



* * * + 



I had quite a novel and interesting experience with Mr. Hall at 



(Concluded on Page 344) 



The Italian Bee 



That the Italian bee is the best strain or race of bees for honey 

 gathering qualities, gentleness, prolificness and disease resisters, 

 is becoming well known among our scientific beekeepers. The 

 Carniolean, which is of a grey color, would be equal to the Italian if 

 it were not that they are more inclined to swarm and often breed 

 up when there is no honey flow. The writer has tried both the Car- 

 niolean and the Caucasian, having imported a Carniolean queen two 

 years ago from upper Carniola, Austria, but is thoroughly con- 

 vinced that the Golden Italian b93 is the best all purpose bee. 



While working for the state as deputy bee inspector I had the 

 pleasure of visiting the apiary of Mr. J. I. Danielson, living north- 

 west of Birmingham. After inspecting his bees, which were of a 

 very high grade of Golden Italian, I found they were free from dis- 

 ease. This was in August two years ago. These bees were work- 

 ing the red clover and no other bee but the Italian will do this, 

 which is another point in their favor. These bees are quiet on the 

 comb and will not run off and bunch up as the common black bee 

 will do. Mr. Danielson increased his apiary that season from 

 twelve colonies spring count to eighty in the fall and wintered 

 seventy-eight of them, also took off some surplus honey. 



Visiting Mr. Danielson again this spring I saw his Golden 

 Italians, which he is wintering in the cellar. I was very much 

 pleased to find 146 swarms wintering in good shape and as yellow as 

 any bees I have ever seen. His bees were inspected last June by 

 Mr. Elmore, deputy inspector of Jefferson county, and found per- 

 fectly healthy. 



The last few years, having kept a few colonies of the three 

 races of bees I have mentioned, I am thoroughly convinced that the 

 Italian bee is the best all purpose bee we have. I quite often hear 

 a beekeeper say the moth bothers his bees. I will say I do not re- 

 member ever seeing or hearing of a colony of full-blood Italians 

 ever being destroyed by moth. They keep the colony not only 

 healthy but full of bees and will not hesitate to tackle a full grown 

 moth when she comes near the entrance of the hive. 



