23 
REMEDY FOR STINGS OF BEES. 
Stings of bees are not often attended with seri- 
ous consequences, though, when very numerous, 
may be considered dangerous. 
The first point to be attended to, is to extract 
the sting. The poison ejected into the wound is 
an acid, and is neutralized by alkalies. 
The most simple and effectual remedy is the 
common table salt. This article may be applied 
to the wound as soon as the sting is extracted, a 
little moistened, and it affords immediate relief, 
and soon abates the swelling. Volatile spirit of 
ammonia, if applied immediately, relieves the pain 
almost instantaneously, and if the stings be nume- 
rous, should be taken internally, in doses of twenty 
or thirty drops, every few hours. 
OF DRONES AND WORKERS. 
A remarkable irregularity subsists in the num- 
ber of drones, compared with other inhabitants of 
a hive. “Swammerdam found 693 along with 
8494 workers. Previous to the swarming of a 
large hive, Reaumur counted 700 among 26,000 
common bees, and one queen. In another, con- 
taining only 2900 workers, he found 693 drones, 
lie computed 50,000 cells, in the former of which 
20,000 were filled with brood. About 2520 cells 
were appropriated for breeding drones, and above 
half of them were occupied by larva and nymphs. 
Thus, including the 700 in the perfect state, he 
observes that this hive would be provided with 
above 2000 drones.” 
