82 SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEFPING. 
A year later, (Aug. 24, 1860,) Mr. L. wrote to Mr. Parsons 
as follows : 
“Thave three colonies (artificial swarms) to which 
Italian queens were given in June. All of the common 
bees appear to have died ; and if we may judge from the 
working of these colonies, the Italians will fully sustain 
their European reputation. They have gathered more 
than twice as much honey as the swarms of the common 
bee. This, however, has been chiefly gathered within the 
last few weeks ; during which time, the swarms of com- 
mon bees have increased but very little in weight. Thesea- 
son has been eminently unfavorable for the new swarms, 
(one of the very worst I ever knew) and the prospect is, 
that I shall have to feed all of them except the Italians. 
L. L, Lanesrrorg.” 
From J. P. Kirtland, Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1860 : 
“ First.—Their disposition to labor far excels that of the 
common kind. From the earliest dawn of day to the ar- 
rival of evening, they are invariably passing in and out 
of the hive, and rarely suspend their work for winds, heat 
or moderate showers—at times when not a solitary indi 
vidual of the common kind is tobe seen. Two hours each 
day, their labors are extended beyond the working time 
of the last named kind. 
‘“Second.—Power of endurance, and especially of resisting 
the impression of cold, they possess in a marked degree. 
Since the buckwheat, salidagoes, and astors have flowered 
in this vicinity, the nights have been remarkably cold. 
This low temperature has in a great measure suspended 
the efforts of the common bees, and they have been eating 
their previously accumulated stores. Not so with the 
Italians ; they have been steadily accumulating honey 
