Saw bees seize their queen when dropped among them. Queen that often lays when combs lifted out on a
drone comb did not examine cells at all. Some of the drone eggs have hatched. (21st) 72 to 84 degrees. 
Much G dampness in air, bees get considerable from i buckwheat. Were working some at 10 AM. 
Gave a beautiful queen on the 17th, to a very strong colony, caged her about 4-5 hours
and put lone comb in her hive. She was not liberated next AM, but bees had gnawed in to her. This
PM, 4 days after removal of old queen, queen cells sealed and unsealed! No signs of queen. Think that
if I had let her out in 48 hours all would have been right, queen cells too far advanced. 
(22nd) 66 to 84 degrees. Bees some early on buckwheat, saw many on ragweed, from this they
get large quantities of very yellow bee bread, and I think some honey, work upon it early in
the AM. Very important for me to breed as many queens for my own apiary this fall as
possible, as black drones must have wholly disappeared. When comb building
is not going on think that young queens prefer not to lay in new comb where all the cells
have not their proper depth. A splendid queen gone, tested too. Found two queen cells could
see no brood. The one mentioned on the 13th. Important to examine for queen cells the next
day after queen is liberated. Very sorry to lose such a splendid and tested queen. A slight shower. 
Heavy rains with some thunder passed south of us. [inserted: (23)] 70 to 84 degrees. Two nuclei abandoned for
want of honey. (24th) 70 to 82 degrees. Several showers with heavy thunder passed around us,
a slight dash only here. At 7 PM, 64 degrees. Found queen of colony mentioned on the 21st. 
Cut out over a dozen sealed queens. Could not see an egg. They would have swarmed. 
This is what became of the queen of 22nd. A swarm was seen leaving by a boy. 
When they accept a queen but do not allow her to kill queen cells, she refuses
to lay, at least these did so. In strong colonies important after swarming season
to see whether queen is laying and no queen cells. Saw plenty of sealed drones
in another 13 frame colony that has been fed. Many on outside frame. Hope to be able
to keep these drones till late in September, but fear for them. (25th) 54 to 68 degrees. A
little rain before day. Missed my Cary queen out of nucleus yesterday. Today
queen cells started, found her in a nucleus to which I gave her brood. Removed a queen
and gave another with cage only a little stopped, so as to have her let out tonight. 
In letting out queen today I put several on the face of comb lifted out of hive, like this
plan. 26th. 46 to 68 degrees. Almost a frost. Saw many [inserted: Italian] bees upon the ironweed, Vernonia,
they had no bee bread but evidently got honey. Queen of colony (see 24th) from which queen
cells were removed is laying very freely. All the eggs in both drone combs were removed
by the bees. This AM, at 9 o'clock, took away from a colony with a drone laying queen
all their brood and gave empty combs, at 2 PM, found a dozen eggs laid centrally
in the central comb, about equal numbers on each side. This colony inserted: (nucleus)] is strong in bees,
plenty of young workers from brood given to it. Queen is laying in comb from which all the
workers not yet hatched, the drone brood will be well cared for. 27th. 42 to 72 degrees. Almost
a frost. Saw drone brood expelled in a colony that has been fed for some time. In one 13 frame, fed
colony, found sealed drones on the outside comb. Goldenrod, one species just blossoming.