long passages in honey board, favor blowing smoke so as to affect the
whole colony. Drones, colonies very full of drone brood, fed ones
more crowded if possible than in June. My stocks of pure Italians have
more honey than the half bloods. (17th) 56 to 74 degrees. Cool, cloudless day. 
Declining queen cells. 
(18th) Yesterday
[crossed out: Today] at 6 1/2 PM, two queens arrived of my Italian importation. 
From Italy to Dzierzon, then prepared for journey, sent to Hamburg,
New York, fed by A. B. Hull, mercury 93, given to express on
Thursday 27th July, reached Bristol, Pennsylvania, (less than three hours journey)
Saturday night. Examined by C. A. Taylor next day, one box had queen
alive and two workers, the other two queens and from 6 to 12 living workers. 
The bees lay a corrupt mass in the boxes. The heat and shameful detention
nearly killed them, six hours more and all would have been over with them. 
Dzierzon puts up too many bees, better plan to put up only young bees,
old combs, plenty of sealed and unsealed honey. Heard of their arrival
on the 5th. Telegraphed. Send two queens immediately, very few bees. L. L. L. 
Taylor got it. Send two queens immediately. Very new boxes. Sent a letter
same day, reached Taylor too late to send last week. He shipped
them Monday. Got his express receipt Wednesday AM. Expected bees
that PM. Supposed hive all right, no brood, no queen cells. If they had
come would have lost the best one designed for that stock, as it swarmed
yesterday, having flat deceptive queen cells. (see above) One queen
very small, quite handsome. Introduced her yesterday to a nucleus
strong, but no unsealed brood or queen cells, well received. This AM, a few
eggs. Gave the other to the stock from which swarm went, caged over night,
this AM, uncaged her, having previously shaken out every bee, and put on
queen includer to be queen excluder if there was one, night before gave
them two sealed queens, these unhurt, never saw more if as much circling
of bees. Great demonstration of affection. Shall continually strengthen
this colony with hatching brood so that it can bear constant deprivation
of brood. 2nd queen handsome but only moderate in size. When laying they
may seem much larger. Shall keep on queen excluders to keep out
any vagrant queen as well as to keep queens in.