250 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



It seems as though 2^4 inches is quite too much space for 

 one frame, but I use that space advisedly. Many years 

 ago I made a nucleus hive with six compartments, and at 

 that time not having had much experience I made each 

 compartment 2% inches wide. Years afterward I made 

 another nucleus hive, and smiling at my former ignor- 

 ance and congratulating myself upon the superior knowl- 

 edge I had gained with the passing years. I made the 

 compartments more nearly in accord with the usual space 

 occupied by each frame in a hive, making each compart- 

 ment — I'm not sure whether it was 1^ or 1^. At any 

 rate, the bees swarmed out of these limited quarters to 

 such an extent that I could not use them, whereas they 

 had not swarmed out of the 2^4 compartments. Neither 

 have they swarmed out of these later ones. Having so 

 much room in these central compartments, the bees some- 

 times build pieces of comb on the sides which I must 

 clean away, but that is better than to have them swarm 

 out. 



CONTENTS OF NUCLEUS-HIVE. 



A nucleus hive is tenanted by a two-frame nucleus 

 on each side and a one-frame nucleus in the middle. Care 

 is taken to choose one of the best frames of brood for the 

 middle nucleus, and perhaps a few extra bees are brushed 

 in. A third comb may be put in each of the side com- 

 partments, or a dummy, the same as the dummies used in 

 the regular hives. 



MAKING THE BEES STAY. 



^When populated, the entrances of the nuclei are 

 plugged up with green leaves. These are generally 

 taken away twenty-four hours later, after the hives are 

 pounded to stir up the bees, but if they are neglected the 

 leaves will dry and shrink so the bees can make their 

 way out. It is better to form nuclei with queenless bees, 

 for they are not so much inclined as others to go back to 

 their old place. 



