QUEENS. 149 
becomes less prolific, until she is four or five years old ; 
but for the majority of queens this will not answer. I 
shall not advise retaining queens longer than three years. 
Several years ago I argued at one of our ‘‘ North-Eastern 
Bee-Keeper’s Conventions,” that, where bees were kept 
in the old way in a hive with a small brood-chamber, and 
the queen was only required to deposit a limited number 
of eggs, she might be expected to remain fruitful for a 
longer term of years than under the present system of 
management, wherethe motto is ‘‘a large force for a large 
amount of work.” For we now use every possible means 
to secure the largest amount of brood, often trebling the 
number of bees that would be reared in a small box-hive 
with no care. 
The idea was almost, if not quite, unanimously re- 
jected at that time, but later experience confirms me in 
the opinion that queens will fail sooner under the present 
system, than with the old methods. 
I consider then, that as a rule three years should be the 
average limit of a queen’s age, and many will become use- 
less earlier. ver have an eye to the queen, and if she 
become deficient in any way, let her place be supplied 
with a good one. Do not allow the bees to supersede her 
themselves, which they might do to a disadvantage. 
DRONE-LAYING QUEENS. 
Drone-laying queens are usually such, as from any 
cause, are unable to meet the drone for impregnation. 
Such queens will only produce drone progeny. They 
often deposit their eggs in worker combs, but as the brood 
approaches maturity, the cells will be extended about '/, 
in. before being capped over, which gives the surface a 
rough appearance, as such brood is always somewhat 
scattered (fig. 64). It requires but little experience to 
recognize these indications of an imperfect queen. 
