Texas Beekeeping. 31 



their combativeness, they are not, on the average, as good honey- 

 gatherers as the pure Italians, although many colonies of the hybrids 

 give large yields of honey. 



CYPEIAN BEES. 



Cyprian bees were imported from the Isle of Cyprus in 1880. They 

 are somewhat smaller, more active and lighter yellow in color than 

 the Italians. Their abdomen is more pointed and their wings seem 

 larger in comparison to their size. The queens are very prolific and 

 they do not cease egg laying at the approach of a dearth of honey; 

 hence their colonies are always strong in numbers and prepared for 

 any sudden honey flows. In addition to this, they have longer tongues 

 than other bees, and are, consequently, excellent honey-gatherers. 

 They fill their honey cells so full before sealing them that the combs 

 have the same watery appearance as that of the Italians. 



A disadvantage is their nervous disposition and, once aroused, 

 they can not be quelled by smoke like other bees. When handling 

 them, very little smoke must be used and, as they resent sudden 

 opening of their hives, or the least jarring, all manipulations must be 

 made slowly and carefully. In spite of this, the operator must expect 

 to receive any number of stings, depending upon the amount of 

 handling necessary. For this reason, more than anything else, this 

 most vindictive of all the races of bees has never become popular. 



HOLT LAND, OR PALESTINE BEES. 



Closely related and very much resembling the Cyprian bees is a 

 race of bees from the Holy Land. They resemble the Cyprian in 

 temperament, size and shape, but not in color, the Holy Land bees 

 being somewhat darker and the color of their body hairs giving them 

 a distinct bluish steel-gray tinge. This race of bees has some good 

 qualities. They are prolific breeders, are not given much to swarming, 

 are excellent comb builders, building the most beautiful and straight- 

 est combs of any bees, and are good honey-gatherers. Another point 

 of distinction is the manner in which they cap their honey combs. 

 Besides filling the cells entirely full, they lay very thin cappings, 

 for which they use less wax than any other race, right on the honey. 

 On this account the cappings are so slightly attached to the cell walls 

 that they separate from these in perfect six-sided lids very easily 

 when the comb is handled, which leaves the cells uncovered. 



But to offset their good traits, they are, like the Cyprians, very 

 nervous and easily irritated. All manipulation of them should be 

 done with great care and with the use of very little smoke, else no 

 amount of smoking will control their onslaughts and they will become 

 unbearable to even the experienced. "While some strains are more 

 easily handled, these bees are, as a whole, not popular, except with a 

 very few beekeepers. 



OAENIOLAN BEES. 



One of the gentlest races of bees, known as the Camiolans, comes 

 from the southern part of Austria. These bees are large in size, and 



