No. G3.] 233 



queen to conquer three competitors, one at a time, and at last suffer 

 herself to be beaten, {?iot killed,) by a conunon working bee. 



The drone is no doubt the male bee, notwithstanding the sex- 

 ual union has never been witnessed by any man; nevertheless so 

 many experiments have been tried, and observations made, that but 

 little doubt can be entertained of its truth. Some writers have ex- 

 pressed it as their opinion that the sexual intercourse takes place high 

 in the air. I think this is the case, for I have seen an attempt at 

 copulation by the drone with the queen, on their return from an ex- 

 cursion in the air, before she could enter the hive; moreover, other in- 

 sects of the fly tribe do copulate in the air, as I have repeatedly wit- 

 nessed. Another reason why I think the drone is the male, is, they 

 are not all massacred; I smothered four swarms in the middle of win- 

 ter, to ascertain this fact, whereupon it was found that one hive had 

 three drones in it; some had a less number, and one liad none. But 

 this is easily accounted for, when it is known that they are their own 

 masters after the season for the general massacre arrives, and are 

 known to take up their residence in any hive that will receive them, 

 and again take their departure at pleasure, and make any hive their 

 home. The drone without doubt has other offices and duties to per- 

 form, still veiled in mystery, which I hope by a course of observa- 

 tions to discover. Now, dear sir, as I have given an outline history 

 of some of the leading instincts and habits of the female, or queen, 

 and also of the male, or drone, the next thing is to illustrate some of 

 the leading instincts and habits of the common bees, or workers, in 

 connection with the whole family, as they are found connected with 

 the apiary. Previous to entering upon this part of the subject, how- 

 ever, it may be proper to remark, that " many of the writers on bees 

 of late," are not experienced practical apiarians, and are very justly 

 entitled to the appellation given them by a late reviewer, who calls 

 them " parlor writers." These writeis, as it seems to me, (and I have 

 no doubt it is so,) get together a few ancient authors, some old pam- 

 phlets and newspapers, then get into the great chair and set their 

 wits to work, and exhaust their ingenuity in producing something 

 that will best please their fancy, conduce to their interest or popu- 

 larity; then they are thrown before the public as a guide to the apia- 

 rian coEumunity. " It ought not to be so." 



As the condition and perfection of the brood combs and young 

 broods in a hive of bees determine its success and profit to its owner, 

 it is proper here to consider some of the habits as well as instincts 

 of the bees. First, the bees should not be compelled to occupy 

 more space than they are able to warm by their animal heat, to that 

 degree which will cause their regular secretions of wax, without any 

 extraordinary effort on the part of the bees. This cannot be done 

 by a small swarm in a large hive, for the bees are cora{)elled to ex- 

 clude the cold air from their bodies in order to secrete wax, as well 

 as to weld it on to enlarge and extend the combs. Wax is hot made 

 by the bees, but is of natural growth under peculiar circumstances, 

 when needed by the bees for use. Honey is converted into wax by be- 

 ing retained in the sack of the working bee, so that when wax is need- 



[Senate No. 63.] E* 



