HONEY BEES. 19 
manner. After the location has been thus marked, the 
bees leave the hive in a direct line, and return by their 
way-marks with perfect accuracy and regularity. 
The drone bee is a clumsy fellow. The drones are 
the male bees. Where a dozen or more hives are kept, 
there is no necessity for more drones than one swarm 
would naturally rear, yet each one of the twelve swarms 
carries out its natural proclivities, and rears a large 
number of these useless consumers, not one of a thousand 
of which is ever of any use. Swarms should not be per- 
mitted to rear a large number of these non-producers. 
A few are indispensable, yet we should take this matter 
into our own hands. Not one drone in five thousand 
ever fulfills the purpose for which it was created. Fifty 
drone cells are enough for one hive, and when more than 
this number are constructed (sometimes they will number 
a thousand or more in a hive) cut out all buta very few, 
and fit in a piece of worker comb in their place—it is more 
profit to raise workers than drones. Drones leave the 
hive to sport in the sunshine in large numbers, every fine 
afternoon in June and July. When on the wing, they 
make a very loud, coarse buzzing. They have no sting 
and may be handled without the least fear. 
