§ VI.] OTHER FOREIGN VARIETIES. 45 



that in order to meet the demand for Italian queens they 

 are being continuously bred, so that when united to 

 English stocks they are always young and in the prime as 

 to fertility; whilst the common black queens are allowed 

 to exist in the hives their appointed time, as there 

 is nothing to call for encouraging their special propaga- 

 tion. In making comparisons we think this fact has 

 been a little overlooked; but though too much may 

 have been thus credited to the Italians, we think there 

 is a clear balance on this point in their favour, and they 

 retain altogether our most decided preference. 



§ VI. OTHER FOREIGN VARIETIES. 



I. Carniolan Bees. — In appearance this variety is 

 very much like our English bee. The difference is that 

 the rings on the abdomen are whiter ; otherwise (except 

 by a close observer) one would not be known from the 

 other. 



Eight years ago the Rev. W. C. Cotton (brother of, 

 Lord Justice Cotton and author of " My Bee Book ") 

 had a stock of these bees from Austria, where they are 

 largely cultivated, and he left them under our charge. 

 We placed them in our own apjary at Hampstead, where 

 they did very well, working a capital super in the first 

 year, as well as parting with a fine swarm. The second 

 year Mr. Cotton had the swarm sent to his own apiary, 

 near Chester, because he wanted the original queen, 

 which of course this had with it. This swarm had rather 



