117 
un Switzerland and Germany, and its value tested and 
acknowledged there, it was long before it became un- 
derstandingly known in the United States. When 
they were first introduced into this country, and indeed 
long afterward, they were ridiculed as a humbug ; even 
those who thought they were a distinct and valuable 
variety, doubted if they would be able to live in our 
climate, and but few would at first believe the accounts 
of their value and superiority over our common bee. 
Although the first attempt to import them resulted in 
failure, they were finally successfully introduced into 
the United States in i860. After their introduction 
into the apiaries of many intelligent bee-keepers, the 
prejudice against them soon wore away, and now they 
bid fair to supersede the common black bees. A long 
experience of over seventeen years, commencing in 
the apiary of the celebrated German Apiarian, “Rev. 
A. Dzierzon,” brought to notice many points of supe- 
riority, which seemed to have been verified by all who 
gave them a trial ; and from the numerous favorable 
expressions and statements furnished to our journals 
from our best and most reliable apiarians, I extract the 
following : 
“ There is no mistake about the superiority of the 
Italian bees as honey gatherers.”— /. H. Tenant 'ey, in 
Western Rural. 
“ We believe that the superiority of the Italian bee 
is no longer questionable .” — California Cu/turist. 
