52 HISTORY OF THE HIVE. 



little bit of comb, and, in a very short time, will have 

 made a sufficient number of cells for the queen to lay 

 a few eggs. And then, if the weather is fine, so fast 

 is the building proceeded with, and such numbers of 

 eggs are laid by the queen, that in about three weeks' 

 time many young bees are hatching out, and, soon 

 after, hundreds more, and then day by day get greater 

 numbers. 



And all this goes on more and more rapidly as 

 the young bees themselves join in the work of the hive, 

 so that now, in August, — the time I named, — every 

 corner of our hive is as full as possible of both bees 

 and honey, and everything is prepared, and the whole 

 colony is in a prosperous condition for the winter 

 months. And, if we only keep it dry, it will be 

 well able to stand the frost and snow, — the bees all 

 huddled together, and keeping themselves warm, how- 

 ever severe the cold, until at last the spring-time 

 comes again, and out-of-door work once more 

 commences. 



' Rous'd by the gleamy warmth from long repose, 

 Th' awaken'd hive with cheerful murmur glows ; 

 To hail returning spring the myriads run, 

 Poise the light wing, and sparkle in the sun. 

 Yet half afraid to trust th' .uncertain sky, 

 At first in short and eddying rings they fly, 

 Till, bolder grown, through fields of air they roam, 

 And bear, with fearless hum, their burdens home.' 



Evans. 



