380 
APPENDIX. 
Most of our swarms, in constructing conibs, will make altogether too many cells 
for the rearing of drones. There is really no necessity for twenty colonics of boos 
standing together, to rear mo. e drones than are naturally produced by one standing 
alone. Nature had to provide drones for isolated colonies ; and, when a great num- 
ber of stocks are brought together, each one follows its instincts, and rears thous- 
ands of these useless consumers. It not only requires a great many pounds of 
honey to rear this brood, bat requires the labor of a great many working-bees after- 
wards to support them. A great many traps have been contrived to catch and 
destroy them, and sevoral patents obtained for devices for that purpose. Wo are 
told that colonies deprived of their drones, store quantities incredibly largo of sur- 
plus, over others nut disturbed. We take these statements, however, coming from 
interested parties, with duo allowance; but. we must admit that a largo brood of 
drones cannot bo maintained from May till perhaps the end of summer without 
consuming much honey uselessly. Now, if there is a great saving in destroying the 
drones after they are reared, how mucp more might bo saved if they were not 
reared at all, and in their stead there were produced five workers for every three 
of the drones ? With these frames wo can do it, and go beyond any chance or 
caprice of the bees, and prevent their rearing drones 1 When ascertaining the con- 
dition of tho new stocks in spring, any frame containing drone-cells, or more than a 
very few, should bo taken away, and replaced with worker-cells. When a third or 
half are drone -colls, that part may ho cut out. and a piece of the same siz<* (worker- 
cells) Qttod in the place ; such pieces cau be lie Id in placo with a little melted bees- 
wax and rosin poured round the edge. We thus take the matter in our hands, 
because the bees, without the cells in which to rear the drones, could not, if they 
would, waste so much material worse than uselessly. 1 would remark here — with- 
out going into full explanations to prove it — that 1 consider tho eggs of an impreg- 
nated queen all one thing : that if deposited iu drone cells, they produce drones ; 
that if in worker-cells, workers, &o. I have not, as yet, in any one instance, taken 
all the drone-cells from a stock, but have left a few square inches, because it is not 
ascertained what eflfect a total deprivation might have, in several instances, I have 
taken three hundred square inches, which would have afforded cells enough to ex- 
tend tho number of drones to thousands. Whenever it is necessary to change 
combs, for the sake of adding to the winter stores of a colony, 1 would rocommond 
taking those containing the drone-cells if possible, so as to be sure that they will ho 
emptied before the bees will be likely to use them for brood. They should be taken 
away and carefully saved, to put in the surplus boxes — at least all that are not 
much colored. Tho more combs you can put Into a box tho sooner it will be filled, 
and having these large colls filled with honey, is tho best use to which they can bo 
applied. 
On pagj 322, 1 have given a process of uniting two small families for winter. It 
will he seen readily, that, by the help of the frames, it is a very simple matter, and 
much less trouble. The frames containing the most honey are put into ono hive 
with the bees. 
All beo-lceepers know that, strong colonies are not destroyed by the worm In any 
hive ; but before anything can be done to assist those that are attacked, in all but 
this, tho worm has usually done his mischief among the combs, whether much or 
little, and come to the bottom, where lie may be dispatched. But when wo 
can get a fair side-view of a comb, as by lifting out a frame, wo can detect his local- 
ity, and attack him in his stronghold. Tho point of a knife and the thumb will form 
a kind of forceps very efficient in dragging him from his covered thoroughfare, long 
before he could bo routed by the bees. Very few stocks of bees are so strong but 
they may be benefitted materially by this kind of assistance. I havo taken a half- 
dozen from a comb, when judging from tho strength of tho stock it belongod to, 
there would be no danger of losing it ; but the fact that a colony survives tho 
injury of a brood of worms, does not prove that it 1ms received no damage. 
I have, for the last few years, wintered all my bees in tho houso. To get rid of 
the moisture most effectually, I still turn tho common hivo bottom up, as directed 
on page 340. But as a consequence, all dust and dead bees must fall into tho top of 
the hive. This is objectionable, yet it is decidedly better tlmn mouldy combs, that 
are engendered when right side up. With the movable frames I have only to 
remove the honey-board from tho top, and tho hive is effectually ventilated when 
rigiit side up, and presenting this advantage over the box-hive — all dead bees and 
filth fall to the bottom and out of the combs, leaving them entirely clean. Should 
tho combs be made crooked, so that it is impossible to take them out, there is yet this 
advantage, of wintering them without inverting the hive, and ventilating thoroughly. 
Such i i my readers as have been troubled about their bees standing on their heads 
all winter, will see that, with this hive, there is a chance for thorn to remain right 
side up, and still be fully ventilated. 
I have now given some, but not all tho advantages of tho movablo frames. It is 
uot very likely we havo got the best form of the hive. I have one quito different 
