at but little doubt can be entertained of its
truth. That the sexual intercourse takes place high in the air, is highly
probable from the fact, that other insects of the fly tribe do copulate in
the air, when on the wing, as I have repeatedly seen. That the drone is
the male bee, is probable from the fact that the drones are not all killed
at once; but at least one in each hive is permitted to live several months
after the general massacre.

I examined four swarms, whose colonies were strong and numerous, three
months after the general massacre of the drones, and in three hives I
found one drone each; the other was probably overlooked, as the bees were
thrown into the fire as fast as they were examined. But there are many
mysterious things concerning them, and much might be written to little
purpose; and as it is designed to go no further in illustrations than is
necessary to aid the apiarian in good management, many little speculations
have been entirely omitted in the work, and the reader is referred to the
writings of Thatcher, Bonner, and Huber, who are the most voluminous and
extensive writers on bees within my knowledge.

Bees are creatures of habit, and the exercise of caution in managing them
is required. A stock of bees should be placed where they are to stand
through the season before they form habits of location, which will take
place soon after they commence their labors in the spring. They learn
their home by the objects surrounding them in the immediate vicinity of
the hive. Moving them, (unless they are carried beyond their knowledge,)
is often fatal to them. The old bees forget their new location, and on
their return, when collecting stores, they haze about where they formerly
stood, sad perish. I have known some fine stocks ruined by moving them six
feet and from that to a mile and a half. It is better to move them before
swarming than afterwards. The old bees only will be lost. As the young
ones are constantly hatching, their habits will be formed at the new
stand, and the combs will not be as likely to become vacated, so as to
afford opportunity to the moths to occupy any part of their ground.

Swarms, when first hived, may be moved at pleasure without loss of bees,
admitting they are all in the hive; their habits will be formed in exact
proportion to their labors.--The first bee that empties his sack and goes
forth in search of food, is the one whose habits are first established. I
have observed man