12 
BEE-CULTURE. 
there are so many importers of them that the price 
is much reduced, The abdomen of the bee is composed of 
six segments or rings. The Italian variety is distinguished 
by having the first three segments under the wings yellow. 
The abdomen of the queen is nearly all of a golden yellow. 
These bees are more prolific and vigorous than the German 
variety, and give off earlier and larger swarms. They are 
more industrious and work more freely on the second or seed 
crop of clover and other flowers on which the common bees 
do not work ; consequently, in bad seasons, they are rich in 
honey, while the other variety are starving; and strong, vig- 
orous colonies always protect themselves best against moths 
and robbers. 
Pure Italians are less inclined to sting than the Black bee. 
They are no more inclined to rob than other bees, if they are 
so much so. The queen being very yellow is more easily 
distinguished than in the German variety. Correspondents 
of our agricultural journals speak in glowing terms of these 
bees. Dzinzon, the great German bee-keeper, says the profits 
of his Apiary have been doubled since their introduction. 
The almost universal testimony of those with whom I am 
acquainted who have tested them, is strongly in their favor. 
Thomas Groves, who lives near this place, tells me that his 
Italian hive last spring gave off four swarms ; his first swarm 
swarmed twice, and two of the after-swarms swarmed, making 
eight swarms this season as the increase from the original 
stock. Two of the swarms went to the woods ; the remain- 
ing six and the mother colony are all well supplied with 
honey for winter, besides making him eighty pounds oi sur- 
plus or box honey to spare. Estimating his six new colonies 
at ten dollars each, and his honey at twenty-five cents per 
pound, make eighty dollars credit to the parent stock. Others 
mention cases nearly as good. Bees apparently aliko good, 
differ largely in productiveness, so there are cases where 
Italian bees, sitting side by side with the natives, produce 
less than they, but this is a rare exception. 
HOW TO PROPAGATE ITALIAN BEES, AND TO CONVERT COMMON 
BEES TO ITALIAN. 
Queens are the mothers of the colonies. To control the 
queens is to control the stock. If a queen is given to a col- 
ony when they already have one, they will kill the stranger ; 
