123 
TIIE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL 
qualities combined, no matter what race they 
belong to. Now, have the black bees these 
qualities? I am sorry to say that they 
have not. They breed by far too many 
I drones, which help to consume the stores 
of honey ; they swarm by far too often, and the 
swarms are small ; they could gather more 
i honey ; and they use their sting upon their 
master very freely. The Italians breed fast 
in spring and continue until plenty of honey 
can be gathered, when they fill almost every 
cell with honey. They are not inclined to 
drone breeding and swarming i they defend 
their homes against enemies j their greatest 
desire is honey gathering; they have a sting, 
which they use frequently, but not so often as 
the black bees. According to this statement, 
which our best beemasters confirm, it is a fact 
that the black bees have not the good qualities ; 
it is also shown that the Italian bees have the 
most good qualities combined. A judgment 
on this question can now easily be formed. Is 
the common black bee capable of improvement ? 
I unhesitatingly say, '• yes." Is there a better 
race, and which is it ? I answer, " There is a 
better race, and this race is the Italian 
lice, also called the Ligurian.” No other race 
has made such a progress as this, in the short 
time of its introduction to the different 
countries. Amongst the breeders of those bees, 
my success is now well known, and my bees 
compare favourably with any of that race. 
’I he pure impregnated queen, of a new race, 
produces pure bees, drones and queens, as long 
as she lives, which is generally about three 
years. Her drones may impregnate queens 
reared of their own race, and thus continue to 
keep their race pure; or if they mate with u 
queen of another race, they improve the 
quality of her progeny. That such hives are 
far superior in honey production to those of the 
black ones is acknowledged in every country. j 
Honey production is the principal point most 
beekeepers aim at ; they should not lose the 
opportunity of improving their stock. 
rho Italian bees are further of great value 
for those who wish to keep a hive or 
two for their amusement, for experiments 
and science. Their gentleness and beauty 
justify this. The purest stocks can often 
be handled without smoke, though a little 
smoke is advisable and does no harm Their 
beautiful colour assists in scientific ox peri- : 
menta. Without these bees the great experts 
would not havo succeeded so well in their 
investigations and demonstrations as they 
have. 
With great care and energy I work to 
improve my bees, not only in regard to their 
beuuty, but also to their utility. Drones ns 
well as queens are always selected from stocks 
most suitable for the intended purpose, while 
the increase of inferior ones is prevented. 
The result of such breeding is that a standard 
race can be produced, which is beautiful and 
profitable. That the act of impregnation of 
the queen cannot be guided absolutely by the 
beemnster, make* the standard and pure 
breeding more difficult to maintain ; neverthe- 
less, a great deal can be done by the experi- 
enced breeder. In consideration of this, it 
may be possible, by constantly selecting the 
most excellent stock* for increase, to rear a 
standard race, which may surpass all the 
existing races. 
W. Abram. 
Manager Italian Bee Company, Parramatta, 
N.S.W., 
12th January, 1887. 
NEW BOOKS, REVIEWS AND 
EXTRACTS 
FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
Practical Hints on Preparing Beeswax 
for Market. 
THIS article is produced in nearly all parts of 
the world, but it is a curious fact that only 
the English, both at home and abroad, spoil 
or depreciate the value of their wax in the 
manufacture, and v et the article made by them 
commands the best price. This statement 
may appear contradictory; but the fact is, if 
they prepared their wax properly, they would 
get much more for it than they’ do ; and this 
result can be obtained with a little more 
trouble but without extra expense. Beeswnx 
should be clear — nigh golden yellow — to com- 
mand the top price, as any shade one way or 
the other means a lower value. These remarks 
are not to be confounded with the technical 
idioms of presidents of beekeepers’ associations 
and other folk, who do not know glucose 
flavoured with otto, from honey, or a mixture 
of earth, wax. and paraffin scented with oil of 
citronella, and marked " pure beeswax ” nicely 
moulded into clear square bricks, from the 
genuine, although it may be a dirty looking 
article. The great secret in making nice 
looking wax is the “ melting " of it ; in as few 
words ns possible, direct fire heat must not 
touch the wax, but what is known as n water 
bath only used. This, with farmers and others, 
could be managed by suggesting to them as a 
good substitute a large saucepan with a glazed 
earthenware pan to fit into it, with the water 
under it, and when properly melted, and 
— which latter detail they know all about 
better than any one can tell them— after it 
has been taken off the fire some minutes, to 
put one drop of sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol 
into, say each batch, giving a good stir sub- 
