132 BEE CULTURE. 
In searching for the best bees, we have tried and discarded 
the Carniolan, Dalmatian, Smyrnian, Herzegovinian and the 
Egyptian, In 1866, two eminent Germans, Count Kolowrat 
and Hern Cori, imported the first Cyprian bees into Europe, 
but to Italy and America belong the honor of putting forth 
the greatest exertions to produce the best bees in the World. 
Did not Signor J. Fiorini, an Italian, make a journey to the 
Island of Cyprus and to Palestine in search of Cyprian and 
Syrian becs, to improve the race of Italian bees by crossing, 
or to improve those races by careful breeding? Mr. D. A. 
Jones, of Canada, at a cost of thousands of dullars, also 
journeyed to the Island of Cyprus and to Palestine, for the 
same object; he secured many colonies of Syrian bees, and 
established an apiary in Cyprus, in charge of Mr. Benton, a 
brave and fearless American, who (to his honor be it stated) 
has journeyed through Arabia, India, Ceylon, and the Kast 
Indies, and in the face of danger and difficulties untold, in 
scarch of some superior race of bees, or some that may be 
improved by judicious breeding. True, he has not becn as 
successful as could have been desired, but he has planted in 
Ceylon some colonies of bees from Italy and Cyprus, and if 
a “cross” of any value can be obtained between these and 
Anis dorsata, or Apis florea, he has placed it among the pos- 
sibilities, in the development of “the bee of the future.” 
With the different species of bees now at hand from every 
clime, history will repeat itself—the improved merino sheep 
but typifies the improved honey bee of.the future. For ages 
the fine-wooled sheep of Spain had been famous, but were 
not to be had until the French invasion of Spain made it 
possible. The American merino sheep is a descendant of the 
best sheep of Spain—but, by the careful American breeder, 
it is made to yield four times as much wool as the original 
Spanish sheep. The skillful and scientific breeding of bees 
promises as great a triumph for America, as the development 
of that famous ten thousand dollar buck, “Gold Drop.” 
Dr. J. P. H. Brown. of Georgia, at the National Conven- 
tion of 1881, reported that the tongues of the Cyprian bees,. 
in a trial of six, aggregated 1-32 of an inch longer than he 
reiched with six of his improved Italians, and they in turn 
aggregated 3-32 of an inch (one-tenth) longer than the 
imported Italians. 
