rHTSIOLOGY AXD BREEDIXG. 35 



flowers yield a good supjily. I have known one or two 

 years in which no drones appeared before the last of June ; 

 at other times, thousands are matured by the first of May. 



THE OLD QTIEEX LEAVES WTTn THE PIKST SWAKM. 



The old queen leaves with the first swarra, and as soon 

 as cells are ready in the new hive, she deposits her eggs 

 in them, at first for workers, the number coiTesponding 

 with the supply of honey and size of the swarm. When 

 the supply of honey fails before the time for leaving the old 

 stock, she will remain there, and continue laying through- 

 out the season. 



WHAT BECOMES OP THE BEES WHES XO SWABiT ISSUES. 



As many bees die or are lost dm-ing their excursions, 

 as are replaced by the young ones. In fact they often di- 

 minish in number rather than increase ; so that by the 

 next spring a hive that has cast no swarm is no better for 

 a stock, than one from which a swarm has issued. VTe 

 are apt to be deceived by bees clustering outside, towards 

 the latter end of the season, and suppose it hardly possi- 

 ble for them to get in, when in fact it may be caused by 

 hot weather, full stores, etc. 



WHES A YOrXG QCEEX TAKES THE PLACE OP THE OLD OXE. 



In ordinary circumstances when a swaim has left a 

 stock, the oldest of the young queens is ready to emerge 

 from her cell in about seven or eight days ; if no second 

 swarm is sent out she will take her mother's place, and 

 begin to lay eggs in about eight days. Two or three 

 weeks is aU the time in the whole snmmer in which eggs 

 can not be found in all prosperous hives. 



>rrMBEK OP DEOXES. 



The relative, number of drones and workers, when the 

 latter are most numerous, doubtless depends on the size ■ 



