FAKMEES' INSTITUTES. 191 



characterize either the queen or the workers or both, and may arise from a plu- 

 rality of causes. First we will consider the 



Idle7iess of the Queen. 



The queen may be forced to idleness, either from idleness of the workers, 

 when her instincts impel her to partial or complete indolence, or she may cease 

 from laying simply because there are no empty cells in which she can deposit. 

 During the past three years, and especially during the past season, I have been 

 observing Avith particular reference to these two points, and can assure all of 

 their truth. In fact, they can be so easily verified by all that I will not Avait to 

 detail the proofs. 



The remedy for the first cause, — idleness of the workers, — will appear in the 

 sequel. The remedy for the second, — no empty cells in which to deposit, — is 

 most easily secured in that invaluable auxiliary of the apiary, — the honey 

 extractor. 1 have proved this autumn, during the wonderful yields of honey 

 from the golden-rods and other autumn flowers, that the queen may be entirely 

 cheated out of room in which to deposit, even though tliere be abundance of 

 room in the supers. In such cases the use of the extractor should never be dis- 

 pensed with, and would be a wise proceeding even though we had to give away 

 our extracted honey. 



The second rule then which I would urge upon all apiarists is : Never permit 

 the hive to he without emptij cells in the hrood combs. 



We next come to consider the idleness of the usually busy workers, the causes 

 which lead to it, and the remedies which may be applied. 



The fact that bees are not always busy at their legitimate business is known 

 to all apiarists. Who has not noticed the idle cluster, when bloom is every- 

 where, and when nectar bathes every floral envelope ? Who has not been vexed 

 in his apiary labors, during a dearth of bloom, by swarms of his little workers 

 ever on the alert to add to their stores? And what novice has not been sorely 

 alarmed by the robbing which he has induced by his ignorance or carelessness 

 at such times? That this idleness is enforced is shown by all literature, and by 

 the many current proverbs which are adorned by reference to our pets of the 

 apiary : 



" How doth the little busy bee 

 Improve each shining hour." 



jjet us now inquire into the causes which thus compel the active workers to a 

 course which is so contrary to their tastes. 



Causes of Idletiess. 



1. We notice the most apparent cause, — absence of bloom, or the failure of 

 flowers to secrete honey. In all localities there are periods, longer or shorter, 

 when honey bloom is not. In some localities these periods are so frequent or 

 so protracted that successful apiculture is quite impossible. I have found, too, 

 that during wet weather, when rains were of daily or very frequent occurrence, 

 even the best honey plants failed to secrete. Last summer our white clover 

 season (during the entire month of June) was a complete failure on this very 

 account. 



2. If the bees have too little room, or so fill their hives as to preclude further 

 storing, they must of course drink the bitter draught of idleness, whose evil 

 work is shown by their dejected look, as they hang, all forlorn, in front or 

 beneath the hive. 



