ANATOMY OF THE BEE. 29 



hausted usually at the end of three years ; but, even at the 

 close of her second year a queen, under the " forcing " methods 

 of modern bee-keeping, ceases to be profitable, in consequence 

 of the enormous drain upon her resources. (281). 



" A prolifio queen will lay, during her life, 1,500,000 eggs — a number 

 so vast — ^that the eggs, lying in contact, end to end, would stretch about 

 one and three-quarter miles. A good queen is able to furnish to the 

 cells an average of two eggs per minute for weeks in succession. 

 Taking the lowest estimate, she then yields the incredible quantity 

 of twice her own weight daily, or, more accurately, four times, since 

 at this period more than half her weight consists of eggs." — Cheshire. 



A queen that has not been mated within twenty-one days of 

 her birth usually becomes incapable of impregnation and a 

 drone-breeder (188). 



