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Subject:
From:
Dave Cushman <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 10 Jun 2002 11:03:47 +0100
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Hi Dee, Bob, Allen And all

There is no point in raising all the previous prejudices about small cells.

Fact is:- it still is not proven.

I myself am convinced there is something in it, but feel that the
establishment has decided that the phenomena, as observed, and as reported
widely by the Lusbys, is due to AHB or similar genes, and as such is not
worth further effort in research.

Bob is a fan of SMR... This has it's part to play, no doubt, but is not the
'holy grail' either.

Allen Dick raised these points...

> I'm sure we all have our doubts and reservations about the
> role of 4.9 cell size in Lusbys still incomplete success (They
> still have to prove they can make honey).  We will each have
> to prove -- or disprove -- this whole thing for ourselves in
> our own context.

> Although I was, and probably still am, very much a doubter,
> as I have listened and learned, I have concluded the idea is
> not as preposterous as I initially thought.  I am willing to give
> it a shot if I have time and can find some bees that look as if
> they would appreciate some smaller comb.

I for one would like to know and understand more, I am not committed or
aligned with any particular point of view. Yes, I will do some trials and
experiments of my own, but no matter what the results of such trials, or how
well conducted with controls and replication. The results themselves will
carry no credibility, simply because I am not an established researcher.
Even if such results show a particular replicatable trend and I manage to
publish a paper about it, the establishment have declared that they already
'know' the answer to their satisfaction and their dollers should go
elsewhere.

My personal interest in small cellsize stems from a desire to use it as some
sort of 'racial' filter for refining purity in strains. If this aspect alone
shows any success, I will be happy, but if there is an improvement in
disease resistance/tolerance I will accept that gratefully as well.

Best Regards & 73s... Dave Cushman, G8MZY
Beekeeping & Bee Breeding Website...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman

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