ITALIANS AND ITALIANIZING.
The history and description of Italians (see Frontis-plate) have
already been considered (p. 41), so it only remains to discuss the
subject in a practical light.
The superiority of the Italians seems at present a mooted question.
A few among the able apiarists in our country take the ground that a
thorough balancing of qualities will make as favorable a showing for
the German, as for the Italian bees. I think, too, that the late Baron
of Berlepsch held to the same view.
I think I am capable of acting as judge on this subject. I have never
sold a half-dozen queens in my life, and so have not been unconsciously
influenced by self-interest. In fact, I have never had, if I except
two years, any direct interest in bees at all, and all my work and
experiments had only the promotion and spread of truth as the ultimatum.
Again, I have kept both blacks and Italians side by side, and carefully
observed and noted results during eight years of my experience. I have
carefully collected data as to increase of brood, rapidity of storing,
early and late habits in the day and season, kinds of flowers visited,
amiability, etc., and I believe that to say that they are not superior
to black bees, is like saying that a Duchess among short-horns is in no
wise superior to the lean, bony kine of Texas; or that our Essex and
Berkshire swine are no whit better than the cadaverous lank breeds,
with infinite noses, that, happily, are now so rare among us. The
Italians are _far_ superior to the German bees in many respects, and
more--though I am acquainted with all the works on apiculture printed
in our language, and have an extensive acquaintance with the leading
apiarists of our country from Maine to California, yet I know of
scarcely a baker's dozen that have had opportunity to form a correct
judgment, that do not give strong preference to the Italians. That
these men are honest, is beyond question; that those who disagree
with us are equally so, there is no doubt. The black bees are in some
respects superior to the Italians, and if a bee-keeper's methods cause
him to give these points undue importance, in forming his judgments,
then his conclusions may be wrong. Faulty management, too, may lead to
wrong conclusions.
The Italians certainly possess the following points of superiority:
First. They possess longer tongues (Fig. 20), and so can gather from
flowers which are useless to the black bee. This point has already
been sufficiently considered (p. 42). How much value hangs upon this
structural peculiarity, I am unable to state. I have frequently
seen Italians working on red clover. I never saw a black bee thus
employed. It is easy to see that this might be, at certain times and
certain seasons, a very material aid. How much of the superior storing
qualities of the Italians is due to this lengthened ligula, I am unable
to say.
Second. They are more active, and with the same opportunities will
collect a good deal more honey. This is a matter of observation, which
I have tested over and over again. Yet I will give the figures of
another: Mr. Doolittle secured from two colonies, 309 lbs. and 301
lbs., respectively, of _box honey_, during the past season. These
surprising figures, the best he could give, were from his best Italian
stocks. Similar testimony comes from Klein and Dzierzon over the sea,
and from hosts of our own apiarists.
Third. They work earlier and later. This is not only true of the day,
but of the season. On cool days in spring, I have seen the dandelions
swarming with Italians, while not a black bee was to be seen. On May
7th, 1877, I walked less than one-half a mile, and counted sixty-eight
bees gathering from dandelions, yet only two were black bees. This
might be considered an undesirable feature, as tending to spring
dwindling. Yet, with the proper management, to be described while
considering the subject of wintering, we think this no objection, but a
great advantage.
Fourth. They are far better to protect their hives against robbers.
Robbers that attempt to plunder Italians of their hard-earned stores
soon find that they have "dared to beard the lion in his den." This is
so patent, that even the advocates of black bees are ready to concede
it.
Fifth. They are almost proof against the ravages of the bee-moth's
larvæ. This is also universally conceded.
Sixth. The queens are decidedly more prolific. This is probably in part
due to the greater and more constant activity of the neuters. This
is observable at all seasons, but very striking when building up in
spring. No one who will take the pains to note the increase of brood
will long remain in doubt on this point.
Seventh. They are less apt to breed in winter, when it is desirable to
have the bees very quiet.
Eighth. The queen is more readily found, which is a great advantage.
In the various manipulations of the apiary, it is frequently desirable
to find the queen. In full colonies I would rather find three Italian
queens than one black one. Where time is money, this becomes a matter
of much importance.
Ninth. The bees are more disposed to adhere to the comb while being
handled, which some might regard a doubtful compliment, though I
consider it a desirable quality.
Tenth. They are, in my judgment, less liable to rob other bees. They
will find honey when the blacks gather none, and the time for robbing
is when there is no gathering. This may explain the above peculiarity.
Eleventh. And, in my estimation, a sufficient ground for preference,
did it stand alone, the Italian bees are _far more amiable_. Years ago
I got rid of my black bees, because they were so cross. Two years ago I
got two or three colonies, that my students might see the difference,
but to my regret; for, as we removed the honey in the autumn, they
seemed perfectly furious, like demons, seeking whom they might devour,
and this, too, despite the smoker, while the far more numerous Italians
were safely handled, even without smoke. The experiment at least
satisfied a large class of students as to superiority. Mr. Quinby
speaks in his book of their being cross, and Captain Hetherington tells
me, that if not much handled, they are more cross than the blacks.
From my own experience, I cannot understand this. Hybrids are even
more cross than are the pure black bees, but otherwise are nearly as
desirable as the pure Italians.
I have kept these two races side by side for years, I have studied them
most carefully, and I feel sure that none of the above eleven points of
excellence is too strongly stated.
The black bees will go into close boxes more readily than Italians, but
if we use the sectional frames, and on other grounds we can afford to
use no other, we shall find, with the more ample connection between the
brood-chamber and sections, that even here, as Mr. Doolittle and many
others have shown, the Italians still give the best returns.
I have some reasons to think that the blacks are more hardy, and have
found many apiarists who agree with me. Yet, others of wide experience,
think that there is no difference, while still others think the
Italians more hardy.
The Italian bees are said to dwindle worse in spring, which, as they
are more active, is quite probable. As I have never had a case of
serious spring dwindling, I cannot speak from experience. If the
bee-keeper prevents early spring flying, which is very detrimental to
either black or Italian bees, this point will have no weight, even if
well taken.
ALL SHOULD KEEP ONLY ITALIANS.
The advantages of the Italians, which have been considered thus fully,
are more than sufficient to warrant the exclusion of all other bees
from the apiary. Truly, no one need to be urged to a course, that adds
to the ease, profit, and agreeableness of his vocation.
HOW TO ITALIANIZE.
From what has been already explained regarding the natural history of
bees, it will be seen that all we have to do to change our bees, is
to change our queens. Hence, to Italianize a colony, we have only to
procure and introduce an Italian queen.
HOW TO INTRODUCE A QUEEN.
In dividing colonies, where we give our queen to a colony composed
wholly of young bees, it is safe and easy to introduce a queen in the
manner explained in the section on artificial swarming. To introduce a
queen to a colony composed of old bees more care is required. First,
we should seek out the old queen and destroy her, then cage our
Italian queen in a wire cage, which may be made by winding a strip of
wire-cloth, three and one-half inches wide, and containing fifteen
to twenty meshes to the inch, about the finger. Let it lap each way
one-half inch, then cut it off. Ravel out the half inch on each side,
and weave in the ends of the wires, forming a tube the size of the
finger. We now have only to put the queen in the tube, and pinch the
ends together, and the queen is caged. The cage containing the queen
should be inserted between two adjacent combs containing honey, each of
which will touch it. The queen can thus sip honey as she needs it. If
we fear the queen may not be able to sip the honey through the meshes
of the wire, we may dip a piece of clean sponge in honey and insert it
in the upper end of the cage before we compress this end. This will
furnish the queen with the needed food. In forty-eight hours we again
open the hive, after a thorough smoking, also the cage, which is easily
done by pressing the upper end, at right-angles to the direction of the
pressure when we closed it. In doing this do not remove the cage. Now
keep watch, and if, as the bees enter the cage or as the queen emerges,
the bees attack her, secure her immediately and re-cage her for another
forty-eight hours. I usually let some honey drip on the queen as soon
as the cage is opened. Some think this renders the bees more amiable. I
have introduced many queens in this manner, and have very rarely been
unsuccessful.
Mr. Dadant stops the cage with a plug of wood, and when he goes to
liberate the queen replaces the wooden stop with one of comb, and
leaves the bees to liberate the queen by eating out the comb. I have
tried this, but with no better success than I have had with the above
method, while with this plan the queen is surely lost if the bees do
not receive her kindly. Mr. Betsinger uses a larger cage, open at one
end, which is pressed against the comb till the mouth of the cage
reaches the middle of it. If I understand him, the queen is thus held
by cage and comb till the bees liberate her. I have never tried this
plan. When bees are not storing, especially if robbers are abundant,
it is more difficult to succeed, and at such time the utmost caution
will occasionally fail of success if the bees are old.
A young queen, just emerging from a cell, can almost always be safely
given at once to the colony, after destroying the old queen.
A queen cell is usually received with favor. If we adopt this course we
must be careful to destroy all other queen-cells that may be formed;
and if the one we supply is destroyed, wait seven days, then destroy
all their queen-cells, and they are sure to accept a cell. But to save
time I should always introduce a queen.
If we are to introduce an imported queen, or one of very great value,
we might make a new colony, all of young bees, as already described.
Smoke them well, sprinkle with sweetened water, daub the queen with
honey, and introduce immediately. This method would involve really no
risk. If the apiarist was still afraid, he could make assurance still
more sure by taking combs of brood where the young bees were rapidly
escaping from the cells; there would soon be enough young bees to
cluster about the queen, and soon enough bees for a good colony. This
plan would not be advisable except in warm weather, and care is also
required to protect from robbers. The colony might be set in the cellar
for a few days, in which case it would be safe even in early spring.
By having a colony thus Italianized in the fall, we may commence the
next spring, and, as described in the section explaining the formation
of artificial swarms, we may control our rearing of drones, queens, and
all, and ere another autumn have only the beautiful, pure, amiable,
and active Italians. I have done this several times, and with the most
perfect satisfaction. I think by making this change in blood, we add
certainly two dollars to the value of each colony, and I know of no
other way to make money so easily and pleasantly.
TO GET OUR ITALIAN QUEEN.
Send to some reliable breeder, and ask for a queen worth at least five
dollars. It is the mania now to rear and sell cheap queens. These are
reared--must be reared--without care, and will, I fear, prove very
cheap. It is a question, if any more sure way could be devised to
injure our stocks than the dollar queen business, which is now so
popular. It is quite probable that much of the superiority of Italian
bees is owing to the care and careful selection in breeding. Such
careful selection in-breeding, either with black or Italian bees, is
what will augment the value of our apiaries.
The tendency of the dollar queen business is to disseminate the
inferior queens, many of which will appear in every apiary. These
should be killed, not sold. Yet, many an apiarist will think even the
poorest queens are worth a dollar. My friend, Mrs. Baker, bought a
dollar "Albino" queen last season which was not worth a cent. Yet it
cost only a dollar, and, of course, no satisfaction could be secured or
even asked for. I think it behooves apiarists to think of this matter,
and see if dollar queens are not very dear. I have thrown away three
dollars on them, and have concluded to pay more and buy cheaper in
future.
I believe our breeders should be encouraged to give us the best; to
study the art of breeding, and never send out an inferior queen. In
this way we may hope to keep up the character of our apiaries, and the
reputation of Italians. Else we are safer under the old system where
"natural selection" retained the best, by the "survival of the fittest."
REARING AND SHIPPING QUEENS.
I have already explained the matter of queen-rearing. After many
inquiries, and some experience, I much doubt if any apiarist can afford
to rear queens, such as apiarists wish to buy, for less than four or
five dollars. Only the best should be sold, and no pains should be
spared by the breeder to secure such queens.
TO SHIP QUEENS.
This is a very simple matter. We have only to secure a square block
two inches each way, and one and a half inches deep--a hole bored
into a two-inch plank to within a quarter of an inch of the bottom
serves admirably. In this should be inserted a piece of capped
honey, which has been _entirely_ cleaned by bees. Bees will speedily
perform this work, if the comb containing the honey is placed on the
alighting-board. This must be fastened into the shipping-box, which
is easily done, by pinning it with a slender wooden pin, which passes
through holes previously bored in the box. We now cover the open
chamber with fine wire-cloth, put in our queen and fifteen or twenty
bees, and she is ready to ship. _Any uncapped honey to daub the queen
is almost sure to prove fatal._
Mr. A. I. Root furnishes a cage already provisioned with sugar
(Fig. 57), which is very neat and safe. I have received queens from
Tennessee, which were fed exclusively on candy, and came in excellent
condition.
[Illustration: Fig. 57.]
TO MOVE COLONIES.
Should we desire to purchase Italian or other colonies, the only
requisites to safe transport are: A wire-cloth cover for ventilation,
secure fastening of the frames so they cannot possibly move, and combs
old enough so that they shall not break down and fall out. I would
never advise moving bees in winter, though it has often been done with
entire safety. I should wish the bees to have a flight very soon after
such disturbance.