There must be many thousand bees in this one hive, I had no idea it could contain so many," said Mrs. Heath. "Yes, probably about thirty or forty thousand," answered Mollie, "and now I have shown you the inside of a hive we will go and sit on the porch awhile and I will explain something about the habits of the bees and then we must prepare the six new hives which Uncle sent, in case the bees should swarm soon." "You saw," continued Mollie, after they were costly seated on the veranda; "what I called the brood comb, well, in some cells were little white specks, like little bits of ivory, those were the eggs. Near these cells were some containing little worms which were the larvae just hatched, then others capped over where the larvae are in a chrysalis state and then still farther on somewhere the little bees were knawing their way out. Just as soon as the little fellow is fairly out and has had a sip of honey and smoothed out his wings and legs he becomes first a nurse or feeder of other little bees younger than himself, which duties he varies by going out occasionally on the alighting board and frolicing in the sun. Then by and by he assists in fanning, that is ventilating, the hive, or sweeping out, until later on he is sent afield to gather pollen, propolis and honey." "Well, they have to work hard enough," said Bob. "How long do they live?" asked Nan. "In the busy months, July and August, sometimes only four or five weeks," said Mollie. "How can they know so well what to do in so short a time? It seems quite wonderful," said Tom. "You will find many things very wonderful and surprising about these little creatures," said Mollie. "For instance, when I tell you that the queen sometimes lays two thousand eggs in a day, I know you will be astonished. However, it has been found out by experiment that it is a fact." "Do her subjects treat her with due respect?" asked Bob. "Yes indeed," answered Mollie. "When she moves from cell to cell they make way for her and when she goes across the comb they fall back and let her pass and they never tire of feeding her." "What a numerous family she has," said Tom. "It's worse than the 'old woman in the shoe." What were those big fellows doing flying before the hive?" "Those were drones frisking in the sunshine. They are the only ones who spend their time in play and idleness. The other bees feed them and care for them in the early part of the season, but later on as the cold weather approaches they fall upon the lazy fellows and drive them forth to die." "Do the bees visit each other's hive?" asked Nan. "No, only the drones can make calls on their neighbors. A sentinel at the door of each hive prevents any stranger working-bee from entering," said Mollie. "Do all the bees sting?" asks Ted. "No, the drones have no suing, and the other bees will not use their s generally unless you get in their way or among them. That is the only means they have of defending themselves. They can only sting once and that is their last act of vengance for they die soon after," answered Mollie. "What will ease the pain from a sting soonest?" inquired Nan. "A little common cooking soda dissolved in water or amonia and water or if these be not handy a little mud paste put on the wounded spot will sometimes ease the pain at once and prevents swelling." How do you know that, Mollie, all, of the questions are seemingly prompted by mere idle curiosity, and are of no practical use to any one. Did you ever get badly stung?" asked Ted. "Yes, a number of times, when I first began to examine the hives and one time when I had forgotten to put on my gloves, I was stung on the lands and they were so swollen that I had to wear number seven gloves and cousin Jim said 'I would take the palm on hands,' but after awhile the stings did
## 1 The Bee-KeeperS Magazine