This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ... and bees. "Sports" and "variations" occur, producing inferior progeny; but all careful breeders who have an eye to the improvement of the race reject those that do not come up to the "standard of excellence," sending such animals and poultry to the shambles--so let us carefully select the best queens and drones to breed from. Length of Tongues The length of the tongue (Fig. 13) of the honey-bee is an important matter in her make-up, as there are some blossoms, such as red clover, which have so long a corolla that the average bee cannot reach their nectar. The Cyprian bee is said to have a longer tongue than other races, but its cross disposition renders it unfit for general domestication. The Italians have often furnished strains that harvested nectar from red clover during the second crop of that plant, and in very dry seasons, from the first crop. For that reason, we strongly recommend the Italians over any other race. The Italian Bees 123. Briefly stated, their superiority is thus demonstrated: 1. They have longer tongues and gather honey from flowers where black bees cannot. 2. They are more industrious and persevering, and with the same opportunity gather much more than black bees. 3. They work earlier and later in the day as well as in the season, often gathering stores when the blacks are idle. 4. They are better to guard their hives against robbers (84), and against the ravages of the bee-moth's larvfe (214). 5. They are more prolific in the spring. 6. Their bees and queen adhere more tenaciously to the comb. 7. They are amiable, and it is easy to manipulate them. There are other races of bees which are desirable, and among them we will mention the Caucasian and the Carniolan, but as both of...