240 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



Bees have a fashion of starting cells for a number of 

 days in succession, and will continue to start them when 

 larvae sufficiently young for good queens are no longer 

 present. So some means must be taken to make sure 

 that no nucleus has for its sole dependence one of these 

 latest cells. If several cells can be afforded for each 

 nucleus, there is little danger they will all be bad. 

 Neither is there great danger if a cell is chosen which is 

 large and fine-looking. Perhaps the safer way is to 

 give the queenless colony a frame with eggs and young 

 brood three or four days after the removal of the queen, 

 and then they will not be obliged to use the older larvae 

 of the other combs. 



PLACING QUEEN-CELLS. 



Two or three frames of brood with adhering bees 

 are taken for each nucleus. If one of the frames has a 

 cell or several cells in a good location, well and good. 

 If not, the lack must be supplied. But the cells must be 

 where they will be sure to be well cared for. They must 

 not be on the outer edge of a comb, with the chance to be 

 chilled, neither must they be on the outer side of the 

 comb, but on the side of the comb that faces the other 

 comb. Any cells that are not just wdiere they are 

 wanted must be cut out. For this purpose I like a tea- 

 knife with a very thin and narrow blade of steel. 



STAPLING CELLS ON COMB. 



A staple, such as is used to fasten a bottom-board to 

 a hive, is used to fasten a cell in place. The cell is placed 

 where it is wanted, then the staple is placed over it, one 

 leg of the staple close to the cell, and the other leg is 

 pushed deep into the comb (Fig. 85). 



MAKING BEES STAY IN NUCLEI. 



Each nucleus is put upon a stand of its own, and 

 the entrance is plugged up with leaves so that no bee 



