In the documentary about Brother Adam, he talks about "creating" a better bee. I don't remember his exact words there, but here he spells it our pretty well:

The great improvements in all branches of agriculture, whether in the rearing of livestock or of plants, have been brought about by crossbreeding, with the help of either hybrid stock or fixed new combinations. The present-day level of production in agriculture would be unthinkable without the help of cross-breeding, which is unquestionably the key to all worthwhile progress in the improvement of domestic stock and plants. The honeybee is no exception. Progressive apiculture will sooner or later be compelled to turn to this mode of breeding; it cannot forever ignore the immense economic advantages cross-breeding can offer.   

snip

I have briefly dealt with the problems of hybridization from the point of view of the practical beekeeper, and indicated how to utilize heterosis to the best advantage. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that cross-breeding has still more to offer. It offers us the only means by which we can form new combinations, new races. In creating new combinations, the breeder produces something of permanent value. The full economic value of a new combination will in turn come to light in heterosis, for the more productive the parental stock, utilized in the formation of a cross, the more marked the heterosis. Furthermore, each new combination should prove a step forward in the general advancement of bee breeding. I have no doubt whatever that select hybrids, either first or second cross, and the development of new combinations, will in due course open the way to a new phase in the progress of beekeeping

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html