NOVEMBER 1, 1916 



could jvst as well be right for Cliina, and 

 acted on that principle. For example, 

 wishing to transfer the combs from a na- 

 tive hive to a frame hive we fixed in frames 

 some bits of combs that had been used for 

 rearing' drones, and which, when compared 

 to the bases of cells on foundation, did not 

 appear extraordinarily large. Of course 

 the following year we had a fine crop of 

 drones instead of honey. 



Foundation when given to bees in spring- 

 time was readily accepted ; but was with 

 dilliculty taken to later in the year. The 

 explanation of this is easy. In spring 

 the bees working as always for the develop- 

 ment of the race, and therefore requiring 

 drones as well as workers, were willing to 

 draw out foundation which allowed the rear- 

 ing of drone brood preparatory to the rear- 

 ing of queens at the approach of swarming 

 time. Later the swarming impulse leaves 

 them as the honey season nears its end, 

 and the bees do not want drones any longer, 

 but workers only, for they feel that the ex- 

 istence of the colony depends on the num- 

 ber of workers. At such a time foundation 

 with bases too large for tlie^ti to build work- 

 er cells on was hardly drawn out, tho in- 

 serted in the middle of the brood-nest, and 

 the remainder of the hive was quite filled 

 with brood and honey. 



This having been considered, certain facts 

 which at first seemed to me almost incredible 

 became easy problems to solve. In 1912 

 we had given some foundation to draAv 

 out to a swarm whose queen was removed 

 some time afterward ; and tho to us the 

 cells appeared like fine worker-ceils, and 



that worker brnod was reared in them the 

 remainder of the year, yet the following 

 spring we had frames perfectly filled with 

 drone brood. We thought that, on account 

 of the period of queenlessness, the bees 

 had built drone-cells, and gave them some 

 other foundation to draw out ; but the re- 

 sult was the same — viz., worker brood that 

 year and drones in the same cells the fol- 

 loAving spring. We had a like success every 

 time we triecl the experiment. 



To rear worker brood the bees pai'tly 

 closed the openings of the cells, leaving only 

 a small round opening about the size of 

 one of tlieir own worker-cells. In a neigh- 

 bor's hive I saw another thing which inter- 

 ested me much. In summer time, during 

 the spell of rest forced upon the bees by 

 the absence of nectar - secreting flowers, 

 his bees busied themselves conscientiously 

 by biting off almost to the top-bars the 

 beautiful com.bs they had built some time 

 before on comb foundation, and set to work 

 to afford their future sisters quarters better 

 adapted to their requirements. A pretty 

 common thing, will veterans say? When 

 the bee has nothing to do outside it keeps 

 inside doing some mischief. Yes, I know 

 bees do sometimes bite, off the bottom of an 

 old comb, and, may be, at the approach of 

 winter, of a new one too ; but that is nothing 

 compared to a regular pulling-down of the 

 house to build new lodgings. 



Another beekeeper, who had ordered 

 foundation and frame hives from France, 

 complained bitterly to one of my acquain- 

 tances that Chinese bees were not willing to 

 accept EuroiDean civilization. "They won't 



Thrashing the sweet cluvor. 



