QUESTIONS 99 



conunon everywhere before other races were introduced. Ac- 

 cordingljj more or less of this stock is likely to be found in any 

 locality. As above stated, the Italians have been so extensively 

 cultivated in many regions that the blacks are no longer pure, 

 but are only found mixed with Italians. 



They are not nearly as gentle as the Italians. Neither do 

 they resist disease or moths with much success. When the hive 

 is opened, they rush here and there with such nervous haste as to 

 be very disconcerting to the bee-keeper. The queens are very 

 difficult to find, and taken altogether they are unsatisfactory bees 

 to handle on a commercial scale. 



Carniolans. — The Camiolans somewhat resemble the blacks 

 in color, although the bands are more distinct. They are gentle 

 like the Italians, and are quite popular in some localities. The 

 principal objection to them is the excessive swarming propensity. 

 They rear large quantities of brood as the queensi are very pro- 

 lific. They are said to be well adapted to high altitudes where 

 nights are cold. 



Caucasians. — These bees resemble the common blacks so 

 closely that the novice will find it difficult to tell the one from 

 the other. They are, however, a gentle race, and have a few 

 champions who assert that they are the best bees ever introduced. 



It is a pretty safe rule in the average American locality to 

 depend upon the Italian, unless some other race has been suc- 

 cessfully tried in the neighborhood. It is only fair to say, how- 

 ever, that no other race has been tried under such widely different 

 conditions as has the Italian. It is possible that with an equal 

 opportunity to demonstrate their good qualities, either the Cau- 

 casian or Carniolan races may rival them for popular favor. 



QUESTIONS 



1. Describe the life history of tlie queen and note her peculiarities. 



2. In what respect do the workers differ from the queen? 



3. Discuss fertile workers. 



4. Give the life history of the drone and tell something of his habits. 



5. Note the difference in the three kinds of cells in which queens, drones 



and workers are reared. 



6. Tell something of the different races of bees. 



