LOSS OP THE QUEEN. 279 



you now have. The fetters which bind you to sinful habits 

 will have strengthened with years until you find both the 

 inclination and ability to break them continually decreasing. 



In the Spring, as soon as the vifeather becomes sufficiently 

 pleasant, I carefully examine all the hives which do not pre- 

 sent the most unmistakable evidences of health and vigor. 

 If a queen is wanting, I at once, if the colony is small, 

 break it up, and add the bees to another stock. If however, 

 the colony should be very large, I sometimes join to it one 

 of my small stocks which has a healthy queen. It may be 

 asked why not supply the queenless stock with the means of 

 raising another ? Simply because there would be no drones 

 to impregnate her, in season ; and the whole operation 

 would therefore result in an entire failure. Why not en- 

 deavor then to preseve it, until the season for drones ap- 

 proaches, and then give it a queen ? Because it is in dan- 

 ger of being robbed or destroyed by the moth, while the 

 bees, if added to another stock, can do me far more ser- 

 vice than they could, if left to idleness in their old hive. 

 It must be remembered that I am not like the bee-keepers 

 on the old plan, extremely anxious to save every colony, 

 however feeble : as I can, at the proper season, form as 

 many as I want, and with far less trouble and expense than 

 are required to make anything out of such discouraged 

 stocks. 



If any of my colonies are found to be feeble in the 

 Spring, but yet in possession of a healthy queen, I help 

 them to combs containing maturing brood, in the manner 

 already described. In short, I ascertain, at the opening of 

 the season, the exact condition of all my stock, and apply 

 such remedies as I find to be needed, giving to some, ma- 

 turing brood, to others honey, and breaking up all whose 

 condition appears to admit of no remedy. If however, the 



