7-^70 . FIFTY YEARS A^^IOXG THE BEES 



])oint more brood could be drawn each time. July 18, 

 for the first time, more' brood was drawn than it was 

 thought wise to give to 237, there being twenty frames 

 in all. Sixteen of these, or two hives full, were taken for 

 237, the other four were used to strengthen some of the 

 nuclei. Xot the weakest nuclei were strengthened, but 

 tlie earliest and strongest, for by being helped these 

 would become strong enough to be helpers in turn. In 

 fact, toward the last of the season, when there was little 

 time for nuclei to grow up, the earlier nuclei rendered 

 substantial aid to the later ones, at least one of them 

 yielding as many as nine frames of brood. The first nu- 

 clei were formed June 21, as already mentioned; the last 

 were formed August 23. 



I have gone thus fully into detail, because I believe 

 this plan can be used successfully by any one who has 

 only a small number of colonies and is desirous of in- 

 crease. The first nuclei are formed early enough in the 

 season so that they have more than time enough to be- 

 come strong colonies, and the latest must be formed 

 only in sufficient numbers so that they can be strength- 

 ened up as soon as the queen gets to laying. 



NUCLEUS PLAX OF INCREASE. 



AA'ith nucleus hives for queen-rearing, as already 

 described, it is easy to carry out the nucleus system in 

 the strictest sense. I go to a nucleus with a laying queen, 

 preferring a nucleus with two or three frames, take all 

 the frames with queen and adhering bees, put them in 

 an empty hive, and set the hive on an empty stand. A 

 week later a frame of brood may be added. It will be 

 better if it can be given with adhering bees, and still bet- 

 ter if the bees can be queenless. Still, there is no great 

 danger to the queen in any case, although the weaker the 

 nucleus when strange bees are given, the greater the 

 danger to the queen. A week later on, two frames of 

 brood and bees may be added, and the queen will be safer 



