38 PLEASUBABLE BEE-KEEPING. 



native bee, owing to its having a shorter tongue than 

 the Ligurian, cannot extract the coveted nectar. 



Ligurians are very prohfic and have had 'a great 

 influence on the native bee wherever introduced. 

 They are superior to the natives when stocks are 

 being worlied for extracted honey, but when storing in 

 sections the capping is too close upon the honey, and 

 consequently the comb has a dark and damp appear- 

 ance. 



Cypeians. 



These handsome bees were first introduced into 

 this country, and the continent of Europe generally, 

 in 1880 by Mr. Frank Benton, who wrote of them as 

 follows ; — " They are smaller and more active than the 

 Ligurians, and exceedingly prolific, and excellent 

 honey-gatherers. A stock of Cyprians belonging to 

 Mr. B. P. Carroll, Dresden, Texas, in 1885 is said to 

 have gathered that season 1,000 lbs. of honey." Mr. 

 Benton afterwards wrote, " Cyprians are the bees for 

 the skilled specialist." 



My experience of this race is sufficient to enable me 

 to warn bee-keepers against introducing into their 

 apiaries the most beautiful but at the same time the 

 most irritable of all races of bees. At times, when 

 bee-keepers have visited my apiary, I have exhibited 

 pure Cyprians without veil or intimidant, but on other 

 occasions it was apparently sufficient to show one's 

 self in the garden to have a warm reception from 

 the Cyprian or Cyprian hybrids. This, therefore, is 

 a race that bee-keepers will do well to let severely 

 alone. 



