BEE MANUAL. 33 



visible, are apt to think their bees are not pure unless they 

 answer that description. The bees from the queens I imported 

 from America were, as a rule, much lighter and handsomer 

 than those that came direct from Italy, and I account for this 

 by their having been bred for lightness of colour rather than 

 for honey-gathering qualities, though I have no doubt the two 

 objects may be attained in the same bee. It is worthy of Dote 

 that some of the most experienced bee keepers of America 

 prefer a strain of dark leather-coloured bees to the lighter ones. 

 My own opinion is that the test of purity is uniformity of the 

 markings on the whole of the worker-bees of a colony, whether 

 the three bands be plainly visible or not. The lightest coloured 

 and most handsome variety of the Italian bee is to be found 

 in the Swiss-Alpine districts, from which place the most of the 

 English importers now obtain their supplies. 



HYBRIDS — GERMAN-ITALIAN. 



Much has been said for and against the cultivation of 

 hybrids. My own experience leads me to believe that, as 

 honey-gatherers and for hardiness, they are far superior to 

 either the German or Italian race pure, but as regards docility 

 they would be nowhere in a comparison. The first cross 

 between an Italian queen and a black drone produces, I believe, 

 the best workers. Should, however, any person prefer a greater 

 degree of gentleness in his bees to a larger production of honey, 

 I would advise him not to keep hybrids longer than he can 

 possibly help. 



In briefly stating what I consider to be the superior qualities 

 of each sort, Germans, Italians, and hybrids, as compared with 

 each other, I shall first take the Germans, or black bees. 

 Without a doubt, for raising comb-honey they beat both 

 Italians and hybrids. First, they will take to the section 

 boxes sooner than the others ; second, they leave a slight 

 air space between the honey and the capping of the cells, 

 which preserves the brightness of the cappings and gives to 

 comb-honey that nice white appearance which is so much 

 admired. On the contrary, the Italians, and in a less degree 

 the hybrids, allow little or no air space, consequently the comb 

 has a dark, damp look, on account of the proximity of the 

 honey to the cappings. Italians are superior to the Germans — 



D 



