THE farmer’s manual. 
CHAP. 111. 
On the Drones, 
The winj;s of the drone are shorter in proportion to 
his body than the mules, or working Bees; this oc- 
casions that humming sound which distinguishes them 
in their flight. Nature has regulated the number of 
drones in each liive with a direct proportion to the 
numlier of working Bees, from 4 to 8 and 1200; and 
the fecundity ot the f|ucen according to the number of 
cells. The drone has no sling, and gathers no food; 
he, therefore, neither works nor fights ; but his whole 
utility in the hive consists in being an instrument of 
fecundating the eggs, when deposited in the cells, or 
otherwise, ns may be. 
The antenna; of the drones possess eleven articu- 
lations, and the other Bees have fifteen. Their eyes 
cover all the upper part of the head, and the other 
Bees have one oval eye upon each side of their head. 
Their teeth are smaller, and their probosces shorter 
than the common Bees ; and thus nature has prepar- 
ed them for useful inoflensive animals in the hive. 
Whenever you discover that a hive becomes deficient 
in drones, (which sometimes happens,) you may re- 
plenish such hive by catching a few from some other 
hive, as they pass and repass, geuei'ally about mid- 
day; confine them until evening,.andjyou then 
introduce them to a general acceptance. vniere a 
want of drones is not sensibly felt, the i>ew intruders 
are sometimes murdered, by a general assault. For 
safety, two or three may be introduced, and their re- 
ception will decide what is best. When the season 
of fecundation and gathering food are over, the work- 
ing Bees assemble, and commence a general assault 
upon the drones; drag them out of the hives, and de- 
stroy the whole, by a general slaughter. Thus the 
whole system of nature is finished for the season, in 
the community of the Bees. 
