90 AN EASY METHOD 



were kept through the winter. We have known hives to 

 contain from one to three, while others had none ; but this 

 is not surprising to us, when it is known that they are their 

 own masters after the season for the general massacre ar- 

 rives, and are known to take up their residence in any hive 

 that will receive them, and again take their departure at 

 pleasure, and make any hive their home. The drone, no • 

 doubt, has other offices and other duties to perform still 

 veiled in mystery, which we hope, by a course of observa- 

 tions, to discover in process of time. 



It may be possible that it is with bees as it is with ani- 

 mals, or even man. Here nature seems to have her fixed 

 laws so far, that the sexes are very near equally divided. 

 But in the case of all domesticated animals, as well as wild 



■ ones, but very few males in proportion to females appear to 

 be needed; and man, who has had "dominion" given him, 

 exercises his power to " alter," kill, or destroy. May it not 

 be propei:. for him to do so here 1 If the drone has no im- 

 portant uses further than the male influence with the queen, 

 the drafts they make upon the stores of the hive must be 

 exceeding burthensome, and appears to warrant their almost 

 entire destruction. (See Appendix, on killing drones.) 



The importance of taking the queens from all small and 

 late swarms, and returning them to the original stock, can- 

 not be too much insisted upon. It constitutes a very impor- 



■ tant feature in my system of managing bees. Even first 

 swarms that are ifte had better be compelled to remain in 

 the parent hive. (See Appendix on preventing excessive 

 swarming.) The prosperity of a hive of bees depends in a 

 great degi'ee upon their number being kept full. They are 

 their own best defenders. Their number not only protects 

 them from the depredations of the moth, and the robberies 

 of other swarms stronger, but the animal heat which is gene- 



