together but mixed with worker cells, showing purpose on her part to lay drone eggs. 
There was between her and this next to outside comb a very good worker comb from
which young bees had lately hatched which she had passed in earnest search of
the drone comb. This AM, she was on that worker comb and just beginning to
lay. We frequently notice how solicitous queens often are not to lay in drone comb,
searching carefully for worker. I never before saw so clear a case of the very opposite. I
have now some fine drone comb from which I can take the time drones require to mature. 
Gave to [inserted: two] queenless [inserted: full] stocks laying queens. Removed one in an hour gave [inserted: at once] another laying queen, all
right, left the other queen 12 hours, removed and gave at once laying queen, all right. 
Sent off two queens by mail, not quite ventilation enough in the boxes and too many bees. 
Received a paper box from Mr. C. G. Robinson of Tioga Co. , N. Y. , with a queen and a
dozen bees, two or three bees dead queen and other bees all right. I have no
doubt that they can be sent by mail with as much safety as by express, this will
be a rapid stride in disseminating them. My snare comb may be pinned in
and given to the bees only a short time, just to lick up any running honey. 
Shall take pains to test the question whether a young queen never confined does
not get or preserve a better color than one caged or in any way confined. 24th. Hot,
air saturated with moisture, heavy shower passed southeast, some rain here, clover, etc. , growing
beautifully, smell of buckwheat about the hives. This would have been a splendid
season for honey from buckwheat. Find today a number of queens have mismated,
drone eggs in several hives not fed. A colony with mismated queen (color of
her bees very poor) perfect malignants. Several quite small but beautiful queens
have hatched from corner brood given to a full stock, size of queens according to this
not always determined by few in a large colony. (25th) Splendid weather for the corn,
grass, etc. Clover looks very promising, white coming up as in spring, prospect for another
season good, red blossoming more [illegible], wonder whether it will have honey. In a
stock long without queen find eggs laid by fertile worker, in the drone comb
on the edges rest of comb had drone brood, two and three often in a cell,
colony has drone queen cells but has begun none on worker comb given it. 
Find quite a number of mismated queens. Around me are many colonies
of half, one quarter, etc. blood Italians, some of these have [illegible] or reared
drones, much more puzzling to test queens than if they had gone with
black drones. Progeny of some of these beautiful queens very dark and
small, and terribly malignant. Pure bloods very quickly subdued these
almost invincible, will not fill themselves. A very good stock deprived of its
queen made no effort at all to replace her loss. Some colonies fed as full
of drone brood as in May or June. Shall soon have a great force of Italian drones. 
(26th) 70 degrees. Two beautiful showers, everything looking beautifully green again.