Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 26.djvu/825

Rh bee; the Syrian bee; the Cyprian bee; the yellow, Egyptian bee; the amiable, Carniolan bee, of Africa; the superbly beautiful Dalmatian bee; the Smyrnian bee, very popular in Austria; and the stingless bees of South America.

In this country (i, e., Canada and the United States) we have principally the German and Italian bees; but within the past five years the Syrian and Cyprian varieties have been extensively imported into this country by that distinguished and enterprising apiarist, D. A. Jones, of Beeton, Ontario. As the genus Apis is not indigenous to this continent, all now existing here have been introduced from the Eastern Hemisphere—first, the black and Ligurian races, and latterly the Eastern varieties.

Each of the varieties now in this country (vying for "survival" as the "fittest") has its distinguishing characteristics. So far, however, the Italians seem to possess more good points and desirable qualities than any of the other races, and hence are the most numerous and popular among advanced apiarists. Their chief distinguishing qualities are superior amiability, industry, and what may be called patriotism, or indomitable energy in defending their homes against invaders, such as robber bees and the "bee-moth"—against both of which they are quite invincible. While different strains of this variety vary considerably in color, they are in general distinguished by three beautiful yellow bands across the abdomen. They also have longer tongues than the German bees, by which they are enabled to sip the nectar from places inaccessible to their less favored competitors. A. J. Cook, Entomological Professor in the Michigan Agricultural College, who has done very much to advance scientific bee-culture in the United States, says on this point, "The tongue of the black worker I have found, by repeated dissections and comparisons, made both by myself and by my pupils, is shorter than that of the Italian worker, and generally less hairy." In confirmation of this fact, established by Professor Cook's dissections, I have frequently noticed my Italian bees, during a scarcity of honey from other sources, working upon the second bloom of the common red clover (not the Trifolium pratense, which the black bee can readily work upon), when the German bees were doing nothing on it, the flower tubes being too long for their tongues.

The black bees (or rather, German, for in point of fact they are not black in color, but a gray-black) have some desirable qualities, though they are now being rapidly superseded by the Italians. They produce nicer comb-honey than the Italians, or perhaps any other race. The proverbial whiteness and finish of their comb are due mostly to the extra capping.

For the Syrian races of bees, Mr. Jones and some other leading apiarists claim some superior qualities. I am inclined to think the