and its Economic Management. 



39 



CHAPTER IV. 



VARIETIES OF BEES. 



THEIR CHARACTER AND DISPOSITION. 



IT will be my endeavour to give an impartial account of the 

 different varieties as I have found them ; and while 

 drawing attention to- th.e great value of the foreign races for 

 crossing with the bees, we already have, I ipust advise the 

 reader not to invest heavily in either of such varieties, but 

 first obtain two or three queens and then compare them with 

 those he already has for several years before making any 

 radical change. 



THE BLACK, OR NATIVE BEES, 



are still cultivated in many apiaries, principally because they 

 are well adapted to the production of comb-honey. Their 

 newly-stored combs are beautifully white, and therefore comb- 

 honey produced by them cominands a good sale. They are not 

 so prolific as other races, and hence do not give as mubh 

 surplus, and consequently are of little use in an apiary where 

 increase is desired ; . indeed, I can assert as a- fact, the bee- 

 keeper who expects to build up a large and prosperous apiary 

 from black bees alone, will be certainly disappointed. When, 

 however, he has all the stock he requires, no objection 

 can be made to the sole use of this race where comb-honey 

 alone is sought for. 



