ITALIAN BEE KEEPING. 



CHAPTER I. 



IJVTEOD UCTOBY. 



ITALIAN INGE!N urX'T has lately produced some improvements 

 n bee hives and appliances, which I believe wonld be of 

 great advantage if introduced into England, and with the authority 

 f Don Giotto UKvi, the inventor, I wish to describe them for the 

 use of English bee keepers. 



Even after several years residence in Italy, and personal expe- 

 rience in bee-keeping, I should not have ventured to recommend 

 this new system, were it not that I see that it is adopted in pre- 

 ference to any other Italian, Swiss, or German system, not only by 

 individuals, but by whole communities in Italy ; as for instance, at 

 Porli, and at Urbino (Eaphael's birthplace), where the Societa 

 Agricola sent for Don Giotto Ulivi to transfer some hundreds of 

 stocks of bees from old-fashioned hives to new ones on this his 

 system; and I myself can vouch for the great success o£ Don 

 Giotto's inventions from my experience with twenty hives in my 

 own apiary. 



In order that English people should adopt, or at least try 

 this new hive, and also the invention for taking honey, it is neces- 

 sary to show that both not only pay, but pay most handsomely ; and 

 that these hives are as cheap, more simple in use, and more ingenious 

 in design than many kinds of hives with which they are already 

 acquainted; and that the honey extractor is inexpensive. The 

 machines by which honey can be extracted in one minnte by centri- 

 fugal force from the combs (which are then replaced to be refilled 

 by the bees), were sold for six francs, or about 5s., at the Florence 

 exhibition of appliances for apiculture. 



