22 THE HIVE AND THE HONEY-BEE. 



we removed the cells to see the queens that were to be produc- 

 ed. Two were excluded, almost at the same moment, of the 

 largest size, and well formed in every respect. The term of the 

 other cells having elapsed, and no queen appearing, we opened 

 them. In one was a dead queen, but still a nymph ; the other 

 two were empty. The worms had spun their silk cocoons, but 

 died before passing into their nymphine state, and presented 

 only a dry skin. I can conceive nothing more conclusive than 

 this experiment. It demonstrates that bees have the power of 

 converting the worms of workers into queens, since they succeed- 

 ed in procuring queens by operating on the worms which we 

 ourselves had selected." 



Huber likewise proved by experiment that the working-bees 

 occasionally become endued with fertility, this taking place only 

 in hives which have been deprived of their queen, and altogether 

 he came to the conclusion that a development of the ovaries can 

 be given to any bees by feeding them on the royal food, a won- 

 derful provision, by which nature has secured the industrious in- 

 habitants of the hive from the effects of unexpected contingen- 

 cies, which would otherwise be attended with disastrous results. 



" When bees," says Huber, " give the royal treatment to cer- 

 tain worms, they, either by accident, or by a peculiar instinct, the 

 principle of which is unknown to me, drop some particles of 

 royal jelly into cells contiguous to those containing the worms 

 destined for queens." 



It will occasionally happen, however, that a queen is lost when 

 no eggs of any kind in a fit state of transformation exist in the 

 hive. When such is the case, the bees discontinue the collection 

 of honey ; live riotously on whatever is left in the hive, while 

 that lasts ; fly about with no apparent object, and soon either 

 perish or seek a home elsewhere. If, however, they be supplied 

 with a new queen, they revive ; but if they appear much reduced 

 in numbers, it is better to join them to another stock. 



It has been suggested that this power possessed by bees of 

 manufacturing queens in cases of necessity, might be taken ad- 

 vantage of for the purpose of forming artificial stocks. I do not, 

 however, see either the necessity or utility of so doino-. One 

 strong stock is ever worth three weak ones ; and union not scat- 

 tering — giving the bees plenty of house-room, according as they 

 may require it, instead of partitioning them into insignificant and 

 feeble colonies, is the only line of conduct towards them that 



