and Us Economic Management. 275 



an impossibility. Ninety-nine queens out of every hundred 

 turn out mismated, and the average breeder is content to 

 become mere hybrids. The native drone is so much 

 stronger on the wing than the average Italian that the 

 latter is sure to fail. Consequently 



A Process of Selection 



and breeding the most vigorous drones has alone enabled 

 the Author to secure a complete reversal of the hove 

 order of mating. By this means alone he finds it pos- 

 sible" to secure correct mating in nearly every case, 

 because he flys only those drones that are capable 

 of outstripping any native males that may be in the 

 neighbourhood. 



But dear Reader, you may spend many years, or even a 

 life-time, in endeavouring to breed up a more vigorous 

 strain, if you will not see the necessity of " swamping " 

 the neighbourhood with your picked drones. They must 

 be flying in their 



Tens of Thousands, 



and you must not only be able to do this, but also quite 

 prepared to sacrifice several stocks in the doing of it. 

 Drone breeding colonies are of very little use for honey, 

 and after midsummer are kept up with some difficulty, as 

 no queen must be allowed them after the middle of July, 

 when with liberal feeding your drones will be permitted 

 to reach winter if so desired ; but by then the workers, 

 though brood may have been given occasionally, are not 

 worth wintering. Consequently by the end of October I 

 usually appropriate the stores for other more serviceable 

 stocks. 



The Colour of Combs 



adjoining newly capped honey is known to determine to 



