I showed Kevin Palm's message to Peter Donovan at Buckfast Abbey today.
Peter has worked with Brother Adam for the last 30 years or so
The Buckfast strain is being maintained along the same lines as before and
some strains are now being selected and tested for resistance to varroa,
but this is not a development to be rushed.
The October issue of "BEEKEEPING" reprints an interview with Brother Adam
when he was 90, and still very with-it. In that interview, looking to the
future, he said,
 "I don't expect anyone to carry on exactly as I have done, but there is no
building or
construction work to be done and all the equipment is there. Anybody should
be able to
carry on. The secret is to note outstanding colonies for choice of line
breeding, and cross
them to get hybrid vigour. Mr Donovan has done this successfully when I
have been away."