bee-keeper's manual. 57 



which I have demonstrated, from personal observations. 

 I cannot, however, suffer the fallacies of some of the 

 above authors to go without comment, but I shall be as 

 brief with them as possible. 



PARTICULAR INSTANCES OF DRONES BEING ALLOWED TO 

 LIVE THROUGH THE WINTER. 



Huish further says, — " Huber says, that he has seen 

 drones in a hive in January, and Mr. Duncan supposes, 

 that they were allowed to remain in the hive, on account 

 of the additional heat which they would generate in 

 winter, or perhaps, they may be preserved for the pur- 

 pose of pairing a new queen. Those suppositions, how- 

 ever, of Mr. Duncan have not a tittle of truth to stand 

 upon ; not a drone was ever seen in a hive in January." 



In this case, Huber is right, and Huish shows himself 

 very ignorant on the subject that he discusses. 



It does not admit of a question, that occasionally a 

 few drones are allowed to winter over, in some hives. 

 What these drones are thus allowed to live for, is a 

 question that will never be answered, so as to cover the 

 whole ground. It is not for the additional heat that Mr. 

 Duncan speaks of, because their numbers are so small, 

 that such a thing is out of the question. A hive is 

 never seen with a, full complement of drones in the win- 

 ter. A dozen or so, is the most that I ever heard of, 

 and four is the most that I ever found myself. 



Last spring, in the month of March, I saw four drones 

 issue from one of my hives. — It is true, I never saw any 

 in January ; but those that I saw in March, were in ex- 



