1886.] and the Introduction of fhe Italian Bee. 95 



higher than that of A. ligustica ; and, from Mr. Minnickin's account, I 

 should think it would prove lower. I think the Hazara race will probably 

 prove to be like the Egyptian or Syrian. 



I have imported Italian bees, a large proportion of which died or 

 contracted disease or debility on the voyage so that they proved useless, 

 or in some cases had to be destroyed some time after arrival ; twice the 

 imported bees were in great danger of extinction. I have sent 3 stocks to 

 Landour, one of which was lost by an accident immediately after arrival, 

 and the others are doing well and are reported by the expert Mr. F. Todd 

 who has them, to be *' Splendid honey gatherers and easy to manipulate." 

 I had to leave Calcutta on leave, and in my absence I lost some queens 

 and bees, but I have four stocks at the Alipore Jail Apiary, two of which 

 will shortly be sent to Burmah, to the Rev. A. Bunker, who has been 

 keeping indigenous bees for some time. The difficulty of importing 

 queens has now been surmounted ; they can be imported safely and well 

 with very little risk for about 10 shillings each. I have devised a portable 

 hive and water-boxes which I believe will enable me to import bees as 

 required without the enormous losses hitherto experienced. I am about 

 to send the pattern hive to Italy and to order four stocks as a trial ; if 

 successful, I have no doubt there will ultimately arise a trade in bees and 

 queens between Italy and India, as there is between Italy and America 

 and other countries. I have written a handbook for India which has 

 been published by the Government of India, and this has excited much 

 interest in the subject. I have distributed literature and shewn a num- 

 ber of persons how to handle bees and to use the modern appliances. I 

 have designed a set of simple cheap appliances suited to Indian require- 

 ments, and these are on sale at the Alipore Jail. I have issued a large 

 number of hives, etc. Finally, by taking 80 lbs. of honey and by breeding 

 a large number of queens, of which five were impregnated, I have demon- 

 strated that A. mellifica can be successfully cultivated in Calcutta even 

 under the unfavourable conditions presented by weak stocks placed in the 

 centre of a large city, under climatic conditions not previously studied, 

 with the necessity for devising suitable and cheap appliances, and other 

 difficulties always presented by the introduction of a new industry. I 

 find it better in Calcutta to place the hives in the open, not under trees 

 or verandahs ; I use a double-walled hive painted white with a chaff 

 cushion under the roof ; the flight-hole in the hot weather should be at 

 least 12 inches long by f" wide ; it may be contracted in the cold 

 weather. In the very hot weather the hive should be shaded by a dur- 

 mah mat on the roof, or a mat shade, from the afternoon sun. In a 

 short time I hope to be able to arrange for the supply of bees direct 

 from Italy ; my official engagements preventing me from breeding queens 

 and distributing bees from Calcutta as I had intended. 



