168 A COUNTRY READER. 



and a bee that will tend the young well and is 

 courageous in defending its hive. 



Therefore, keepers of bees select their queens 

 from that strain of bee that comes the nearest 

 to this standard. 



Selection rules here as it does with all else 

 connected with the land, if everything is to be 

 made the best of. 



No Mercy. 



There is no mercy in a bee community. The 

 member of the community, that is no longer of 

 use to its fellow bees, is cast out to die. 



When the queen bee does not lay enough eggs, 

 to make sure that the community can go on in 

 sufficient strength and sufficient numbers, she is 

 cast out of the hive. 



About the middle of April the drones fly about. 

 At the end of the summer, when their service is 

 no longer of use to the community, the workers 

 cast them out of the hive and leave them to 

 perish. 



The life of the worker is about six to eight 

 weeks. Every moment of their working day 

 during those few weeks, is probably occupied ; 

 they do not seem to economise their strength, 

 and so their life is soon over. The younger and 

 more vigorous oncoming workers turn the worn- 

 out workers out of the hive to die. 



