BBE-KEEPEa's MANUAL. 49 



use were for the various purposes that have been ascribed 

 to them, such as fructifying the eggs — feeding the lar- 

 vae — sitting on the eggs — producing the necessary heat 

 in the hive, for maturing the brood in due Season, &c., 

 how is it, that the brood is regularly perfected, when not 

 a solitary drone exists ? In the spring and fall, we find 

 the brood going through the different stages, to perfect 

 development ; but no drones exist at that time ; hence 

 it is time lost to argue this question, with those who ad- 

 vance so unreasonable positions. 



I consider the above uses ascribed to drones perfectly 

 chimerical ; rather exciting a smile of contempt, that so 

 palpable errors should be promulgated at this late day, 

 by men professing a scientific knowledge of the nature 

 and economy of the bee. 



Another gross error is promulgated, and confidently 

 believed, in many parts of Europe, and especially Poland, 

 in regard to the uses of drones, which is, that they are 

 especially and solely the " water carriers" of the family ! 

 I have a Polish work on bees before me, making this as- 

 sertion,'as gravely as if the author were promulgating a 

 well known truth, that admits of no refutation, or even 

 question of its accuracy. This, as well as the foregoing 

 uses of drones, are the visionary fallacies of bee-keepers 

 of old times — many centuries ago ; and which, with 

 numerous others, as wild and ridiculous as the ignorance 

 and superstition of the times could engender, still exist 

 to a great extent, among the bee-keepers of every coun- 

 try. It were a Herculerian task to eradicate these su- 

 perstitious traditions — sooner would I attempt to civilize 

 3 



