Queen lonely caged so that bees got access to her in a few hours after removal of their queen, laying, she
was perhaps over 24 hours before she got out. Have risked two more queens on the same plan. They
[inserted: queens] were taken from black colonies, which have i hardly any brood and very little honey, G [crossed out: illegible]
none sealed. One of the black colonies an hour or two after the removal of their queen showed
great agitation, running out, etc. Do not black bees show much more decidedly the removal of their
queen than Italians? I have been very much struck to see that with plenty of brood most of my
Italian bees have exhibited no marked signs of agitation when their queens have been removed. 
Drones in two 13 frame, fed colonies drones molested, in one driven off so as to crawl away. Had
removed from each some days ago a frame well supplied with hatching drones and given
to stocks rearing queens. [inserted: (28th) 56 to 70 degrees] Today removed all the queen cells from these stocks and
gave them brood to start again, hoping in this way to preserve these drones which
are very beautiful. Shall keep these stocks strong in brood and try to get from
them another supply of queens, (after removed), hoping to save these drones until
late in September. Am rearing most of my queens in large nuclei and have
very few dark or small, some very beautiful. This being a very poor section for honey
it seems to me that the full blood Italian have done very much better than the crosses. Do
not the crosses which look best do best? The colonies which have been regularly fed have much
brood. Must begin next week and feed all my colonies to encourage a good spread of brood,
winding up with a full supply of feed for winter. To feed too heavily now would not
be wise. Heavy thunder, considerable shower, grows quite cool. 29 to 50 degrees. Icy cold. 
Rain at daylight, considerable fell. Cloudy much of the day. 59 degrees when warmest. 
56 degrees at 5 PM. 42 degrees at 10 PM. Very clear and still. Unless wind changes
we must get a killing frost. [illegible] Lord [illegible] it. Brought my nuclei with sealed
queens into the house. (30th) 35 to 60 degrees. On the grass 32 degrees. Ice 1/16th inch thick. 
Sweet potato vines some blackened. Corn hurt some on low lands. If wind had not
changed from northwest to a few points East of North we should have had desolation indeed. 
(31st) 37 to 60 degrees. Slight frost. Yesterday bees set upon the drones. Those in the two
queenless hives spared. Now will be the time to breed queens very reliable. Fed some
in the open air. Italian bees usually to [illegible] others at the feeding, caught them by the legs. 
Many drones attracted to the feeding spot, there dragged about. Toward sunset saw many
bees clustered about feeder, found an infertile queen with them. Had taken wing when I
opened the nucleus. Shall try whether I cannot by feeding four or five times a day manage
so as not to feed other passing bees, give so little at once that it will soon be taken up. 
A colony with a young drone laying queen had queen cells, some sealed, one she had begun
to gnaw into. Perhaps it was not gnawed but not fully closed. (1st) 42 to 75 degrees. Have fed
today in the open air. Italians seem unwilling to let other bees have it. My 13 frame
stocks seem to get the most of it. I am distributing some of their full frames in exchange
with weaker stocks. Found a queen that has been caged over two months forgotten