78 
BREEDING. 
days they are gone, and it is a hard matter to tell what 
has become of them, at least the majority. If the 
hive in September is well supplied with honey, a por- 
tion of the drones have a longer lease of life given 
them ; I have seen them as late as December. In 
some seasons, when the best hives are poorly supplied 
with stores, the ensuing spring the bees will rear no 
drones, until the flowers yield a good supply. I have 
known one or two years in which no drones appeared 
before the last of June ; at other times, thousands are 
matured by the first of May. 
OLD QUEEN LEAVES WITH THE FIRST SWARM. 
The old queen leaves with the first swarm ; as soon 
as cells are ready in the new hive she will deposit her 
eggs in them, at first for workers ; the number perfect- 
ed will correspond with the supply of honey and size 
of the swarm. When the supply fails before leaving 
the old stock, she remains there, and continues laying 
throughout the season ; but the bees matured after 
the 20th of July (in this section) are not more than 
sufficient to keep the number good. As many die, or 
are lost during their excursions, as the young ones 
will replace ; in fact, they often lose rather than gain; 
so that by the next spring, a hive that has cast no 
swarm, is no better for a stock than one from which a 
swarm has issued. We are apt to be deceived by bees 
clustering outside, towards the latter end of the sea- 
son, and suppose it hardly possible for them all to 
get in, when it may be caused by hot weather, full 
stores, &c. 
