ITALIAN BEES. 119 
lady friends with full colonies of them in Controllable 
Hives, and they have expressed themselves as very much 
pleased with their gentle disposition and great beauty. 
I think the points of superiority here designated will 
be found in the pure Italian bee. Very many who have 
purchased bees purporting to be Italians, have been 
grossly deceived, having received simply a native swarm 
of bees, the queen of which, a pure native, had been 
impregnated by a drone having a slight tinge of Italian 
blood; such stock was but very little, if any, better than 
a pure native swarm. 
I tind I can make an improvement, even in the pure 
Italian stock, by selecting queens for rearing to supply 
my full stocks, and with eggs and drones, from such 
stocks as show the superior characteristics in the fullest 
degree. This course persevered in for a term of years 
will show marked results in the improvements of the 
desirable points of superiority found in the Italian bees. 
I take great pride in my Italian bees. I believe they 
are as beautiful specimens of this variety as it is possible 
to produce, and possessing the characteristics of supe- 
riority of the Italians in the fullest degree. The points 
which I strive to cultivate and develop fully, are: In- 
dustry, mildness of disposition, beauty of color, vigor of 
constitution, etc. 
In the spring of 1885 I selected from one hundred 
and forty swarms of Italian bees, eight swarms of average 
size. Each hada vigorous and prolific queen. Iselected 
them with a view of increasing them to the fullest extent, 
