MANUAL 01' THE APIARY. 183 



experience, I cannot understand this. Hybrids are even more 

 cross tlian are the pure black bees, but otherwise are nearly 

 as desirable 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 is too strongly stated. 



The black bees will go into close boxes more readily than 

 Italians, but if we use the sectional frames, and on other 

 grounds we can afford to use no other, we shall find, with 

 the more ample connection between the brood-chamber and 

 sections, that even here, as Mr. Doolittle and many others 

 have shown, the Italians still give the best returns. 



I have some reasons to think that the blacks are more 

 hardy, and have found many apiarists who agree with me. 

 Yet, others of wide experience, think that there is no differ- 

 ence, while still others think the Italians more hardy. 



The Italian bees are said to dwindle worse in spring, which, 

 as they are more active, is quite probable. As I have never 

 had a case of serious spring dwindling, I cannot speak from 

 experience. If the bee-keeper prevents early spring flying, 

 which is very detrimental to either black or Italian bees, this 

 point will have no weight, even if well taken. 



ALL SHOULD KEEP ONLY ITALIANS. 



The advantages of the Italians, which have been considered 

 thus fully, are more than sufficient to warrant the exclusion 

 of all other bees from the apiary. Truly, no one need to 

 be urged to a course, that adds to the ease, profit, and agree- 

 ableness of his vocation. 



HOW TO ITALIANIZE. 



From what has been already explained regarding the natural 

 history of bees, it will be seen that all we have to do to 

 change our bees, is to change our queens. Hence, to Italian- 

 ize a colony, we have only to procure and introduce an Italian 

 queen. 



HOW TO INTRODUCE A QUEEN. 



In dividing colonies, where we give our queen to a colony 

 composed wholly of young bees, it is safe and easy to intro- 



