CHAPTER I. 



PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THREE CLASSES. 



A prosperous colony of bees, at the beginning of the "swarm 

 ing season," consists of a fertile queen, a few hundred drones 

 and about forty thousand workers. The annexed cuts will give 

 a fair representation of the three classes into which this insect 

 community is divided. 



The Queen is a perfectly developed female, and the prolific 

 parent of the whole colony — the mother of every bee it con- 

 tains. "Mother Bee" is her most appropriate and truthful 

 name, as laying eggs appears to be the sole end of her existence, 

 and the only duty she performs. This fact is beautifully demon- 

 strated by removing a native queen and introducing an Italian 

 queen in her stead. If the change is made in November, few 

 common bees will remain by the following May ; or if made in 

 June, the yellow workers will begin to appear in a few weeks, 



