and its Economic Management. 47 



Tvill be certainly disappointed. When, however, he has 

 all the stock he requires, no objection can be made to the 

 use of this race where comb-honey alone is sought for, 

 but even in that case, it will be found more profitable to 

 introduce some foreign blood. 



Though, generally, the hives are less populous than 

 those of other kinds, these bees have several good qualities. 

 The young commence work outside at a much earlier age 

 than do some of the yellow races ; they have great con- 

 servative energy, and a given number will produce and 

 maintain a much larger amount of heat than the same 

 number of some of the other cultivated races. Here is the 

 reason why these bees are good comb-builders, and ready 

 to take to the supers. 



To Perpetuate their Working Qualities, 



I have found it necessary to breed from a queen of the 

 native kind, crossing with a yellow drone ; the act of 

 crossing in itself adds greater energy ; while the disposi- 

 tion is received from the male side. For instance, a queen 

 of a mild strain mating with a drone from a vicious colony 

 I have noticed throws workers which almost invariably 

 turn out to be irritable. Again, I have had queens pro- 

 duce workers that the average bee-keeper would not 

 attempt to manipulate under any kind of intimidation ; 

 and yet the daughters of such queens allowed to mate 

 only with drones from stocks known to be easily handled, 

 have given workers that one could do anything with. 



I have found many black bees more irritable than any I 

 have ever had, even rushing from the hive to attack a 

 person many yards off ; but by crossing the queens with 

 Ligurian, or Carniolan drones, this disposition is corrected. 

 It has been considered that hybrids are very vicious, but 

 this is only half true ; what I have stated above is strictly 



