276 THE bkk-kkbpbr's guidb; 



from the hive. If these directions are closely followed, there 

 will be little brood for the bees to feed, and the queen-cells 

 will not suflFer neglect. Mr. Quinby not only advised this 

 course, but he recommended starting- queen-cells in nuclei ; 

 but he emphasized the importance of giving but very little 

 brood, so nearly all the strength of the nurse-bees would be 

 expended on the queen-cells. 



After we have removed all the queen-cells, in a manner 

 soon to be described, we can again supply eggs, or newly- 

 hatched larvae— always from those queens which close obser- 

 vation has shown to be the most vigorous and prolific in the 

 apiary — and thus keep the same queenless colony or colonies 

 engaged in starting queen-cells till we have all we desire. 

 Yet we must not fail to keep this colony strong by the addition 

 of capped brood, which we may take from any colony as most 

 convenient. It is well also to feed a little each day in case the 

 bees are not gathering. We must be cautious that our cells 

 are started from only such brood as we take from the choicest 

 queen. I have good reason to believe that queen-cells should 

 not be started after the first of September, as I have observed 

 that late queens are not only less prolific, but shorter lived. 

 In nature, late queens are rarely produced, and if it is true 

 that they are inferior, it might be explained in the fact that 

 their ovaries remain so long inactive. As queens that are so 

 long unmated are utterly worthless, so, too, freshly mated 

 queens long inactive may become enfeebled. However, some 

 of our queen-breeders think late queens just as good. Possibly 

 they may be, if reared with the proper cautions. 



In eight or ten days the cells are capped, and the apiarist 

 is ready to form his nuclei. For the rearing of a small num- 

 ber of queens, the above is very satisfactory. If, however, we 

 are rearing Queens for the market, in which we must have 

 numerous cells at our command, and to avoid cutting comb and 

 to secure better spacing better methods have been devised. 

 Mr. Henry Alley cut narrow single-celled strips of worker- 

 comb with newly-hatched larvae, fastened these to the top-bar 

 of his frame, or to bars inserted parallel to the top-bar, and by 

 inserting the brimstone end of a match and turning it destroys 

 each alternate larva. These put in a colony dequeened, but 



