48 A Modem Bee-Farm 



in accordance with fact, but when a yellow queen of some 

 varieties is allowed to mate with a black drone, then, of 

 course, the progeny resulting therefrom will be irritable, 

 while their working qualities will be inferior to those of 

 the cross recommended. Black drones are not required 

 in breeding up a new strain, and should be rigorously 

 excluded. 



Native Bees and Foul Brood. 



Nothing is so disheartening to the experienced bee- 

 master than to see a bee-keeper clinging to native bees in 

 a neighbourhood where foul brood is prevalent, and where 

 he is, therefore, constantly subject to that complaint, and 

 is always destroying good material, with no hope of ulti- 

 mate profit. 



Natives have several faults, apart from a rather bad 

 temper. They are not sufficiently prolific, and do not 

 store so late in the Season as do Italians. But beyond all, 

 they are helpless in the face of foul brood, and will not 

 even work with their owner when he attempts to cure the 

 malady. 



LIQURIAN, OR ITALIAN BEES. 



These were the first yellow race introduced, and though 

 much abused in some quarters, they have gradually gained 

 ground until there is perhaps hardly a district where the 

 native bees have not to some extent, more or less remote, 

 received some benefit by the infusion of fresh blood. 

 Indeed, it is amusing to hear some apiarists assert that 

 Italians are inferior to the old-fashioned sort, and that 

 they will have no more of them ; when, as a matter of 

 fact, their original stock has been greatly improved by the 

 introduction of the foreigners, short though their existence 

 may have been ; and, moreover, the probability is great 



