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Subject:
From:
John & Christy Horton <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:04:34 -0600
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Peter:
He claimed that A.m.m. had been wiped out in the UK by 'Isle of Wight
Disease'.  This was not true - and it is believed that he knew that.  What a
pity that he did not devote his energy to preserving our native bee rather
than importing exotic races.  He did beekeeping in the UK a great
disservice.


I looked in his book Breeding the Honeybee and you are right, he did feel 
the "Old British bee" was extinct.

Let me put down a couple of quotes:
"The old English bee was the most zealous comb builder.Not only did she 
build with extraordinay speed ,but also to a perfection which has hardly 
been equaled by any other race" page 62

"The greatest danger which today threatens the honeybee comes from the 
indiscriminate use of mongrel stock at an international level and at the 
same time the widespread dissemnination of certain of very good strains of 
bees ....which entail a loss of genetic riches that were once available" 
page 118

"To preserve and promote these breeding possiblities it is essential to 
establish reservations to maintain these different races. This maintenance 
of the races with their with their original hereditary wealth ...is 
essential for any progress in breeding  the honeybee." page 118

Peter , I dont detect from the quotes above any enmity toward preserving the 
Old British bee(I assume, correctly I hope, this is the AMM you are 
referring to, but even if I am wrong my reasoning still holds)
In fact he is encouraging the preservation of the various strains. I cant 
imagine him desiring the loss of any of the genetic richness of any honeybee 
anywhere.
He was mistaken about the extinction of the AMM. If wrongly believing that 
an organism is extinct is a major crime then the whole human race -including 
probably every scientist on this planet has to plead guilty.

There is an ancient and honorable tradition where  it was customary to 
"cover" (not deny) the flaws of imperfect but sincere leaders upon their 
decease. The greatest statesman of the 20th century ,Winston Churchill ,held 
to this noble tradition, and I myself strive to follow it.
We all have feet of clay and weaknesses. Sometimes we get cornered by our 
fear , pride or stubbornness and do and say stupid things. If I were to be 
convinced(and I am not) that Bro Adams somehow at some time desired the 
demise of the AMM I would be disappointed and hurt. But I wouldn't let that 
define him anymore than I would allow finding  an ink spot in the corner of 
a masterful work of art to define the artists talent...
The real shame IMHO might be that nobody(in my knowledge) has made serious 
efforts to create reserves as he suggested-reserves that would include but 
not be limited to  AMM.
John Horton
N Alabama 

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