264 WAai Bees to Keep. 



my regret; for, as we removed the honey in the autumn, 

 they seemed perfectly furious, like demons, seeking whom 

 they might devour, and this, too, despite the smoker, while 

 the far more numerous Italians were safely handled, even 

 without smoke. The experiment at least satisfied a large class 

 of students as to superiority. Mr. Quinby speaks in his book 

 of their being cross, and Captain Hetherington tells me that 

 if not much handled they are more cross than the blacks. 

 From my own experience, I cannot understand this. Hy- 

 brids, between blacks and Italians, are even more cross than 

 are the pure black bees, but otherwise are nearly as desir- 

 able as the pure Italians. 



I have kept these two races side by side for years; I 

 have studied them most carefully, and I feel sure that none 

 of the above eleven points of excellence are too strongly 

 stated. 



The black bees will go into sections more readily than 

 Italians, yet the skillful apiarist will find it easy to over- 

 come this objection in manner already described. 



There is no question but that the German bees produce 

 nicer, whiter comb honey than do the Italians. This supe- 

 riority is due in part to thicker cappings, and to a wider 

 air space between honey and capping. This, however, is 

 too nice a point to count very greatly in their favor. The 

 comb honey produced by Italians does not have to go 

 begging in the markets. 



The advantages of the Italians, which have been consid- 

 ered thus fully, are more than sufficient to warrant the 

 exclusion of the German bees from the apiary. Truly, no 

 one needs to be urged to a course that adds to the ease, 

 profit and agreeableness of his vocation. 



THE NEW RACES OF BEES. 



All of the valuable characteristics of the Italian bees are 

 exaggerated in the Syrian bees, except that of amiability. 

 This feature, irritability, would not be an objection to an 

 experienced bee-keeper. I believe, after several years' 

 experience with the Syrians, that they will soon be as 

 pleasant to manage and handle as are the Italians. They 

 ai-e not so readily subdued with smoke as are the Italian^ 



