CHAPTER XII. 



QUEEN REARING. 



IMPORTANCE OF REARING QUEENS. 



There is no branch of commercial bee-keeping 

 deserving of more strict attention on the part of the 

 bee-keeper as a means of improving his bees, than that 

 of queen rearing. It is only in the judicious selection 

 of their breeding stock, season after season, that bee- 

 keepers can hope to make the continuous progress that 

 is possible, and which their interests demand. The 

 improvement of his bees should be the constant aim of 

 each bee-keeper, he should never be satisfied with those 

 he has, but be always striving after a better strain. 

 That it is possible to improve the hive-bee by breeding 

 out inferior characteristics, and breeding in more 

 desirable ones, and so to produce a strain of a higher 

 standard, has been proved over and over again, and 

 no commercial bee-keeper can afford to neglect this 

 part of his business. 



CHOICE OF BREEDING QUEENS. 



The colonies chosen for breeding stock each season 

 should be those that have given the most surplus honey, 

 been the least inclined to swarm after the main honey 

 flow has started, the gentlest bees, and the best 

 defenders of their hives. Any of these qualities lack- 

 ing at the start should be gradually bred into them. 

 Remember that infinitely better work can be accom- 

 plished in the way of improving one's bees by the 

 judicious selection of breeding stock in one's own 

 apiary, than can be done by continually bringing in 

 unknown breeding stock from outside. Even when but 



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