184. Of the Killing of Drones. 
hive, any perfon may eafily aflift the working | 
bees to kill the drones, (as foon as the bees {how 
us the example), by fitting down at the fide 
of the hive the firft good day thereafter, about 
eleven o'clock, and crufhing them one by one, 
as they come out of the hive, by prefling them 
to the {tool with his fore finger. In this man- 
ner, an hundred drones may be killed in a very 
fhort time. I generally kill the moft of the 
drones in my hives when I have leifure; al- 
though there is no abfolute neceffity for do- 
ing it, as the working bees will perform the 
tafk themfelves in due time. But it certainly 
occafions a confiderable faving of honey, and 
I am inclined to think, that no harm can a- 
rife from it, efpecially in thofe hives whofe 
honey is to be taken in Autumn. However, : 
when there are very few drones in a hive I kill 
none of them ; but when they are very numer-. 
ous, | often kill fome hundreds; at leaft.two 
thirds of them, and leave the Bee bees to 
kill the reft at their leifure. 
“CE A, 
