June i, 1881.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
43 
cognized in his locality as an authority in such matters. 
In 1875 he wrote as follows : — 
' The Cyprians appear to be no particular friends 
to drones. At the second revision of my colonies in 
the spring during the latter part of May. I found in 
sixty-two colonies no ripe drone brood, and in only 
a few was any drone brood to be found, while from 
hives containing bees of other races drones had been 
Hying for eight days. How long it was before my 
original imported Cyprian queen placed eggs in a 
drone comb, hung in the middle of the brood-nest ! 
Rather than comply with my earnest wish she al- 
lowed empty combs, usually so odious to the bees, 
to be placed between the sheets of brood, and yet 
this colony was very strong, the weather quite fa- 
vourable, and I fed it more diligently than any of 
the others. Such a similar occurrence in all of my 
Cyprian stocks indicate that it is a peculiarity of this 
race to commence drone-rearing much later than others 
do. On the other hand, the killing of the drones 
takes place from two to three weeks later than with our 
other bees, but the making away with the drones 
then goes on rapidly. Indeed, we met with individual 
drones in February in colonies in' good order and 
even those possessing good young queens. I believe, 
therefore, that I am not mistaken in assuming that 
a further peculiarity of this race is the wintering of 
individual drones. I found in none of my Cyprian 
stocks too great a multitude of drones ; on the con- 
trary, in comparison with other races, there were 
rather less, than more. In the collecting of honey 
the Cyprians are very diligent ; they appear to be 
discreet in the occupation of the ready combs with 
brood and honey, and only after that to devote them- 
selves with full zeal to the building of new combs. 
They begin the sealing of honey earlier than do other 
races of bees." 
The best proof that can be adduced to show that 
the Cyprians have sustained the good reputation early 
given them by the Count, is found in the fact that 
from time to time, since the above was written, he 
has imported more from Cyprus. 
One of the well-known and often-quoted bee-raisers 
of Northern Germany is EJerr C. J. H. Gravenhorst, 
of Brunswick, not a breeder of queens for sale, but 
an extensive honey-producer, whose [sensible articles 
in the old numbers of the American Bee Journal, 
form quite a fund of information. He says himself, 
in an article which I translated for the American 
Bee. Journal, September 1877 : " After trying various 
races and concluding that the Italian was the best, 
I felt not the least inclination to procure and culti- 
vate still another race." However, on the recom- 
mendation of some of his apiarian friends, he pro- 
cured, in 1874, two Cyprian queens, and after three 
years' experience with the breed reported as follows : — 
" The colony with the imported queen was especially 
diligent, gave a large return, and with the remainder 
of the stocks, was in good condition for winter. The 
wintering and development during the next spring 
left nothing more to be wished for. 
" After having carefully observed the Cyprian bee— 
pure as well as hybrid — I have come to the follow- 
ing conclusions regarding the same : — 
"1. The diligence of the Cyprian is at least equal 
to the Italians ; indeed, as regards economy within 
the hive, the former have the preference, because they 
ore less inclined to build drone-comb. The same pe- 
culiarity is noticeable also with the hybrids. 
" '1. In their purity they are certainly more beauti- 
ful than the handsome Italians. Those who visited my 
apiary were always much surprised as strong stocks 
tilled with these beautiful bees were opened, and masses 
of the insects rolled out so peaceably. 
'.). When rightly handled, they are neither more 
uor less inclined to sting than tho Italians." 
In another place the same writer remarks : - 
" It is a well-known fact that the most of the Italian 
colonies do not winter as well as black beee, and very 
often suffer by spring dwindling. This is not the case 
with the Cyprian bee. I have reared in three years 
many a Cyprian queen (not to sell with a few bees, 
but for my own use, and to sell in lull Cyprian colo- 
nies in the spring), and every such colony wintered 
well, coming out strong in the spring. 
"The Cyprian bee will not swarm as much as the 
Italian, and does not build as much drone-comb as 
the latter. 
" I will not say the Cyprians work better than 
Italians, but it is certain my Cyprian colonies yielded 
me every year the greatest honey harvest. As to 
stings, it may be stated, they used them neither more 
nor less than the Italians." 
Herr Dathe, the author of the very practical Lehrbuch, 
says: "The Cyprians are more inclined to gather 
honey than to swarm ; however, they are not as gentle 
as the Italians and are often so cross that they cannot 
be controlled by means of tobacco-smoke, resembling 
in this respect the Egyptians." 
There seems to be two parties as regards the tem- 
perament of the Cyprians. Some say they are quite 
gentle bees, others that they are very ugly* — being al- 
most unmanageable. This of itself would lead us to 
think that through some mishap the latter had been 
handling hybrid bees, which are well known as great 
hands to sting, and indeed, we find a large number 
of bee-keepers testifying that it is only when hybridiz- 
ing has taken place that bees of Cyprian blood are 
cross. 
Herr Guenther, of Gispersleben, Thuringia, is an- 
other noted and extensive breeder of Italian bees, 
who says the Cyprians are very diligent and prolific, 
but says they are exceedingly cross. 
Herr Anton Lorenz writes:— "The Cyprian bee is 
diligent — where there is a chance to rob ; this proves 
its diligence, which we do not wish to disparage in 
the least, but its crossness exceeds all bounds. As 
some praise its good disposition, while others bring 
forward its inclination to sting, are we not to con- 
clude that the race is not pure or not of the same 
sort, whether this be, as Herr Hilbert thinks, be- 
cause some have Smyrnian blood in them, or because 
there are two kinds of bees on the Island of Cyprus, 
one of which is decidedly ugly." 
1 fully believe our next progressive step is to in- 
troduce and commence the dissemination of the beauti- 
ful, valuable bees of Cyprus. I have presented you 
with the views of the prominent apiculturists who 
have tested these bees on a large scale and for a 
number of yenre — some as many as seven years, and 
you see they are very generally agreed on all points 
but one, and that the majority report favourably re- 
garding that point, while from our own experience 
with Italians we can easily understand how such a 
diversity of opinion might exist when in reality r there 
existed no serious objection to the race of bees. 
Perhaps we c 'nnot, as that enthusiastic German, 
Herr von Natzmer, suggested to his countrymen, 
"annex Cyprus," yet 1 think when American bee- 
cuiturists fully realize how great is the benefit likely 
to result from the introduction of this race of bees, 
they will not be slow iu turning to account all prac- 
tical means at hand to aid in the work. 
Lansing, Mich. Frank Benton. 
NOTES ON LIBERIAN COFFEE : ITS HIS- 
TORY AND CULTIVATION (IN JAMAICA). 
This is the title of a pamphlet by Mr. T>. Morris, 
published by the Jr.maica Government. Its purpose 
is to give the Jamaica planters the leading informa- 
tion on the subject Mr. Morris acknowledges I 
j indebtedness to the book published by us iu 187S. 
I and, in fact, the whole pamphlet is largely composed 
