> In 1977, Steve Taber wrote
>
> :> My thought on the importation of bees into the U.S. is that we, the
> American beekeepers, have more to gain than we have to lose from honey
> bee importation.

Steve taber was years ahead of his time in my opinion.  I was in agreement 
with the above at the time and in agreement today. Steve was never afraid to 
say what he believed. I think after the higher ups at Baton Rouge really 
understood the reason for the inbreed gene import they realized they had 
made a mistake.

I believe Steve was *right* and Bill Wilson was wrong.

 I observed the genetics but only in Florida. The bees were gentle but like 
SMR were simply too inbred and had poor brood viability. In the north F3 
generations of SMR had poor winter survival because of poor brood viability. 
For those which do not understand it means because the bees were so inbred 
the brood pattern was shotgun and so the bees went into winter unable to 
raise enough winter bees to form the size cluster to survive.

Only one hive of my SMR F3 survived the first winter and only in my opinion 
because I sent to almonds in California.

Bell Honey and myself received two of the first SMR II breeder queens from 
Glenn apiaries.

bob 

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