188 THE BEE-MASTER OF WARRILOW 
queen is, therefore, in the present stage of honey- 
bee wisdom, unattainable, because there would be 
neither egg nor grub to work from in the spring, 
when another queen-mother was needed, and the 
stock must inevitably perish. Here, however, the 
scientific bee-master could give his colonies an 
invaluable hint, though greatly to his own dis 
advantage. In the ordinary heat of the brood- 
chamber an egg takes about three days to hatch, 
but it has been ascertained that a sudden fall in 
temperature will often delay this process. The 
germ of life in all eggs is notoriously hardy; and 
it is conceivable that by a system of cold storage, 
as carefully studied and ingeniously regulated as 
are most other affairs of the hive, the bees might 
succeed in preserving eggs throughout the winter 
in a state of suspended, but not irresuscitable life. 
And if ever the honey-bee, in some future age, 
discovers this possibility, she will infallibly become 
a true hibernating insect, and join the ranks of the 
summer loiterers and merry-makers. But the bee- 
master will get no more honey. 
