1402 Depaktmext of Agriculture 



to accomplish liis work, Liit bis knowledge and experience will 

 carry him safely through, while the novice might easily be 

 worsted. 



Some beginners after learning with what ease a colony in a 

 movable frame hive mav be handled are loth to give the bees a 

 rest, when in truth they would often accomplish much better 

 results if they were helped less. 



INTRODUCING QUEENS 



The safe introduction of queen bees is a very important part of 

 the beekeeper's knowledge, especially since the advent of European 

 foul brood and the consequent desirability of changing from the 

 dark races and their hvbrids to the Italian race. Besides, it is 

 essential if the apiarist desires to replace queens before their 

 natural failure. Many different methods have been employed 

 with more or less success, a few of which are given herewith. 



The strange queen is usually placed in a wire cloth cage wdien 

 first put in the colony which is to receive her, always making sure 

 that this colony is queenless and without queen cells either com- 

 plete or in course of construction. 



When the queens are purchased from dealers at a distance, they 

 are as a rule put up in cages that may be used for introducing, 

 and directions usually accompany them, by which they may fre- 

 qently be safely introduced. Others prefer different styles of 

 cages, such as " Miller's " which is thin, light and convenient for 

 placing between combs without spreading, or in the entrance of 

 hives. 



A cage introduced by the author has been extensively used for 

 introducing, and although given to the public more than thirty 

 years ago, is still used successfully and practically, according to 

 the original specifications. I quote below from the Beekeepers' 

 Exchange of January 1881 : 



"Queen Cages and Introducing Queens'^ 



" I notice in the November Exchange that friend J. A. Martin 

 has experienced some difficulty in introducing queens with the 

 ' Feet ' cage, by the bees knawing under the cage and getting at 

 the queen. Some others have reported favorably, but as I have 



