TIIK ITAr.IAN BEK. 
323 
and also more frequently. Captain Balden.'tciii’s want of succesa 
was most probably the result of a defleienoy of drone-comb* in lus 
Italian hives, as a consequence of which, only few drones were 
produced.’ 
The main thing to be attended to in any localities where 
common bees are found or kept, is to secure the production of 
drones in numbers overwhelmingly large; though Dzierzon is 
under the impression, that where both kinds of drones exist in 
about equal numbers, the Italian queens will usually encounter _ 
Italian drones, both queens and drones being more active , and 
agile than the common kind. Besides, the wings of both queens 
and drones are finer and more delicate than those of the common 
kind, and the sounds produced in flying are clearer and higher- 
toned. Hence, probably, they are readily able to distinguish each 
other when on the wing.f 
“ The Baron of Berlepsch, one of the most enthusiastic and 
skillful Apiarians, on a large scale, in Germany, says he can. from 
his own experience confirm the statements of Dzierzon, in relation 
to the Italian bee, having found, ^ 
* “Dzierzon guarded against this, by giving to a very largo colony, which ordl- 
nurily produced drones in great numbers, a fertile queen very early in the season. 
Thousands of drones soon made their appearance, and he immediately fortned an 
urtlflclal colony by removing this queen, with a sufficient number of workers, 
adding workor>brood from other colonies. On the twelfth day following, ho hoard 
a young queen ^teeii/ng' In the parent hive and, to his surprise, a largo swarm 
issued from it on the same day, though the weather was then cool and cloudy. This 
swarm came forth suddenly, without any previous Indication of its Intention, just 
ns aftcr>swarms usually do. On a similar day, Dzierzon says, he had never seen a 
first swarm of common bees leave. 8o cold was the weather, that some of the bees 
becauie chilled before the swarm was hived. As the swarm was unusually large, 
he divided it Into two, as he was able to procure an additional queen from the 
parent hive. Both throve well, and each of the queens was impregnated by an 
Italian drone. From this occurrence, he Judged that these bees bnve au instinctive 
jirocllvlty to swarm early. Our common kind w’ould have lingered long, rather 
than ‘ swarm In weather so cold and cloudy,' "—9. \Vaonf.b. 
t “ If, at the time when young queens are emerging, the bees and drones be 
tempted to sally out earlier than usual in the day, hours before the common drones 
come forth, by feeding them with diluted honey, the perpetuation of the genuine 
Dreed will the more probably bo seciirod. But tbls end will the most certainly bo 
attained. If measures are taken to have Italian queens and drones bred early in the 
season, before the common drones make their apponraneo; and again late, after (lie 
latter have been ‘ killotl off.' This may readily be done by the iraprovefl hivo, and 
the appiioation of certain known principles iu bec»cuUure.’' — S. Waonke. 
