32 miner's AMERICAN 



We must, then, come to the conclusion, that it is the 

 food that makes the change ; and we will continue to 

 aiBrm, that it is the royal jelly, that effects the change, 

 not at all fearing, that any one will ever be able to prove 

 us to be in error, as it is not in the power of man, ever 

 to go beyond simple conjecture on this point. 



THE FORMATION OF A NEW aUEEN IN THE PLACE OF ONE 

 THAT DIES, OR IS LOST. 



The bees having the power to make queens at will, 

 from worker eggs, it follows as a natural consequence, 

 that in the case of the death of a queen, or of her loss when 

 absent from the hive, which does sometimes happen, 

 they can at once supply her place, provided that she left 

 any eggs, or larvae less than four days old. Here we find 

 one of the most wonderful provisions of nature, pertain- 

 ing to the natural economy of the bee ; for, were they 

 not able to thus replace the loss of a queen, this insect 

 would soon become extinct. 



There are seasons, however, in which the queen may 

 die and leave no eggs, or larvae behind her under four 

 days old ; and in such cases, the family must perish, 

 unless supplied with a new queen by their proprietor, 

 or a piece of comb, containing eggs, or larvae of a suit- 

 able age ; and in such a case, the proffered comb, if pro- 

 perly attached in the hive, in a natural position, answers 

 every purpose of larvae left by the queen. But such 

 seasons or instances are not frequent with well peopled 

 hives, for larvae may be found in such hives, to a greater 

 or less extent, almost every month in the year. Even 



