(17th) 68 to 84 degrees. At 3 1/2 a very heavy thunder shower, rain during the night, wind
passed into the northeast. (18th) 67 to 57 degrees at 7 1/2 PM, cloudy and windy, bees do
nothing but took all [illegible] up. In a feeble nucleus saw a number of workers
with their [illegible] held so that they could not when mature get out of cells. Each
one held by a web of a small bee moth larvae. Important. All operations in
queen rearing uncertain, although the weather has been up to more than the
usual summer temperature and forage has not failed so as to prevent good
nuclei from over filling their combs. (1st) A very large number of queens in good
nuclei and stocks instead of becoming fertile have disappeared. (2nd) A very large
number of just hatched or quite young queens given to nuclei or stocks deprived of their
queens have disappeared, some when bees had no means of rearing others, and many where
they began queen cells. (3rd) Many sealed queens given to nuclei have hatched and
yet could not be found, lids thrown off. (4th) Bees have gutted many queen cells [inserted: given to them]
even when they had no means of supplying the loss. (5th) In some cases bees have opened
their own queen cells. It is therefore demonstrated that even in the best seasons queen
raising ought to be pretty much got through with by September 1st. The instinct of
bees (let the weather be what it may) teaches them by about September 1st to curtail breeding etc. 
Should like exceedingly to know if this is so further South. Some laying queens in
nuclei have stopped laying. (19th) 48 to 69 degrees. Beautiful day, wind northeast. The heated
term has gone, but the great corn crop is safe. This puts an entire new
face on the prospects of the country for the coming year. Rather too cool for bees, do
not think queens were impregnated. After birth the most beautiful Italian
queens lose color and do not appear to advantage until after they begin to lay. 
 (20th) 48 to 76 degrees. Most beautiful day, warm enough for queens to mate. (21st)
60 to 80 degrees. Foggy, sun partially obscured most of the day. Today fed nearly
all the colonies, those that have enough to encourage breeding as much as possible. 
 (22nd) 68 to 78 degrees. Beautiful day, foggy early, sun obscured much of day, bees get considerable
bee bread, fed twice. Feeding all important to get late bred bees, which will not go
out and be lost, as so many are going into shops, houses, etc. (23rd) 62 to 80 degrees. Hot, beautiful
day. A number of young queens lost in large stocks. Things very uncertain at this season of year. 
 (24th) 66 to 80 degrees. Beautiful day. Cloudy near dark. (25th) 68 to 78 degrees. [inserted: Some rain last night] Splendid
day. Am feeding now twice a day, for brood those which have enough. Since
feeding the queens lay freely. Lose a great many young queens. Some very
beautiful queens hatching. Think that feeding stimulates the bees wonderfully,
makes them more anxious to get pollen and every drop of honey they can. 
Attention to unfertile queens. Often seems almost as great when not fecundated as
when they are. Dissected a queen of last year from a full stock, her
spermatheca apparently as full as that of a just fecundated queen. 
Find plenty of honey in driven drones. Hot still partially clouded days seem