56 MINER S AMERICAN 



and April, long before a drone exL«ts ? It makes no dif- 

 ference at all with swarming, whether drones exist or 

 not, as every ordinary bee-keeper knows. 



Huish also says, — " When a hive swarms, a number 

 of drones follow the emigrants, in the proportion of the 

 number of working bees." 



In regard to this point, it is true, that a portion of the 

 drones in the hive go out with the swarm ; the numbers 

 varying, according to the number of drones in it — a 

 mere matter of chance. They go with the swarms 

 from instinct, so as to divide their maintenance more 

 equally among the colony. 



THE CONFLICTING OPINIONS AND THEORIES OF OTHER 

 WRITERS DISREGARDED. 



I should only be adding mystery to the subject, were 

 I to fill my pages with the conflicting theories and decla- 

 rations of Huish, Huber, Sevan, Shirach, De Reaumer, 

 Riems, De Braw, Swammerdam, Hunter, Dunbar, But- 

 ler, Thorley, Wildman, Keys, Bonner, and a score of 

 other foreign writers on the bee ; and I think I study 

 the interest of the bee-community, for whom I write, by 

 thus doing. 



Dr. Bevan's work is almost entirely made up of the 

 conflicting views and theories of different authors ; and 

 when one has perused it, he is about as much in the 

 dark, on many important points, as before reading it. 



It is my aim to give a straightforward treatise, with- 

 out vacillating to the right or to the left, to follow this 

 or that author ; but to unfold the truth as it is, and 



