58 



Beekeeping 



31 cm. (12.3 in.). To show the course of egg-laying during 

 the season, the accompanying table is copied from this paper. 

 These observations were made during 1900 on a colony in 

 which the queen was reared in 1899, egg-laying of this queen 

 having begun about June 17, 1899. During the year a total 

 of about 150,000 eggs were laid. The maximum egg-laying 

 occurred during the period of the chief honey-flow, which 

 that year was from June 1 to 12. The colony did not swarm. 



TABLE I. EGG-LAYING DURING AN ENTIRE SEASON DUFOUR 



In brief, the results of Dufour's work are as follows : For 

 that locality and under the conditions prevailing, the largest 

 average observed was 1627 eggs a day (June 10-July 1, 1898). 

 The maximum occurs during a heavy honey-flow or imme- 

 diately after. A queen about to be superseded may lay about 

 400 eggs daily, while a young queen may begin by laying 

 900 eggs daily (these figures probably vary with the time of 

 year). Artificial swarming is said greatly to diminish egg- 

 laying. It must be remembered that variation in climatic 

 conditions and in honey-flows influence egg-laying and the 

 results of such work would not be the same everywhere. 

 Work of this character should be carried out elsewhere. 



