1. Characteristics of the Carniolan Alpine Bee. 
The Carniolan Alpine bee is of the same external appearance as the 
German bee, with the exception, that in color she is of a much lighter. 
shade than the later. Her color is whitisch gray. But her most advantageous 
chérasteristics are her gentleness, her hardiness, her industry and immense 
-prolificness. 
The gentleness of the Carniolan Alpine bee is acknowledged by all 
who have handled her as bee-keepers. In Carniola the apiaries are often 
near roads and open places, frequented by adults and children, but it 
never occured that people or animals were attacked by bees. Children play 
around the apiaries without being endangered by them. Bee veils in 
Carniola are not used. It Happened that a swarm of bees alighted on the 
bare arm of the bee-keeper — the later not being stung by a single bee, 
Some of the Carniolan bee-keepers brush the swarms with bare hands 
into the basket. 
: The gentleness of the Carniolan bee has won her among the apiarists 
of the world many friends, and not few of them became such only on 
account of this virtue of her. 
Regarding the industry and diligence of the Carniolan bee, let us 
cite an excerpt from the book »Die Krainer Biene« (The Carniolan Bee), 
which A. Alfonsus, one of the foremost German experts in apiculture and 
writer, has published: : 
»That the Carniolan bee is especialy adapted for places with late 
honeyflow, is a long known fact. But the expert bee-keeper, living in 
localities, where only one early flow occurs, will certainly her unexcelled 
virtues even under such conditions appreciate and utelize. 
>For the great economical value of the Carniolan Alpine bee, the 
fact is significant, that the export of the same, without any great effort of 
advertising, has reached such large dimensions, when the Italian bee, the 
praise of which eminent apiculturists so loudly proclaimed, disappeared 
almos entirely, in so short a time, from the field of apiculture. 
»Under all conditions is the Carniolan bee a valuable object for 
breeding purpeses, and we are only glad, that she found such a wide 
expanse of her utility and common appreciation.« 
For the better understanding it may be here remarked, that the 
author had in mind the European non — Italian Countries, when he speaks 
of the »disappearance of the Italian bee from the field of apiculture.« 
