262 SUMMER. 



queen becomes barren from old age, I presume has 

 never yet been fully determined. 



A friend of mine has had a stock in a large, room 

 eight years, that has never swarmed, and is still pros- 

 perous 1 I think it very probable that this queen will 

 gradually decay, and possibly become barren, some 

 weeks before she dies ; if so, this stock will soon die 

 off. A few such cases will proba,bly occur in swarm- 

 ing hives, perhaps one in fifty, but generally such- old 

 and feeble queens are lost when they leave with the 

 swarm, especially in windy weather. A.S long as they 

 are able to go with the swarm, and sometimes whep 

 they are not, I have found them sufiioiently prolifip 

 for all purposes. I would rather risk their fecundity, 

 and hive the swarm, than to allow the bees to return 

 to the parent stock, and wait eight or nine days. for a 

 young queen to mature. A great many will remain 

 idle, even if there is room to work in the boxes. 



OHAPTEK XVI. 



PRUNING. 



Notwithstanding I have given the method of 

 pruning in the chapter on hives, (page 31, Chapter II.) 

 it will be necessary to give the tyro in bee-cultuje a 

 few more particulars. The season for doing it is of 

 importance. 



DIFFEEENT OPINIONS AS TO TIME. 



The month of March has been • recommended by 



