FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 271 



if these two frames are taken from two different colonies. 

 The colony 

 ow^n devices 



The colony will then be strong enough to be left to its 



NUCLEUS BUILDING UP WITHOUT HELP. 



Indeed, it is not necessary to do anything more than 

 to let a nucleus stand without any help in a fair season, 

 if it can stand long enough, yiy assistant is inclined to 

 be quite optimistic in some things, and one August she 

 expressed her belief that a nucleus of two frames with a 

 laying queen w^ould be able without any assistance, if 

 started on that date. Aug. (i, to build up into a colony 

 strong enough to winter. I said that would be asking 

 too much, and we would put the matter to the test. So 

 two frames of brood with adhering bees were put in a 

 hive on a new stand, and tw^o days later a laying queen 

 was given. The two frames of brood were rather better 

 than the average, for I w'anted her to see that even with 

 an extra chance it was too late in the season for any such 

 growth. I don't know whether she watched that colony 

 on the sly or not, but I did. Looking at it every few- 

 days, I could see no gain — if anything it grew weaker. 

 Then I thought I could see a little gain, and in twelve 

 days from the time it w^as started the two frames of 

 brood had increased to two and a half. Five days later 

 there were three brood, and from that on it walked right 

 along to a fair colony, although it had to be fed up for 

 winter. Rut I would not want to count on starting for 

 a full colony so late as that in all seasons, especially if the 

 frames of brood were not the very best. 



INCREASE W^ITHOUT NUCLEI. 



These different ways are all on the nucleus plan. 

 Just one more way I want to mention, and it is not on 

 the nucleus plan, but if queens are on hand I think I like 

 it as well as any. We take four colonies, and the first 

 thing is to have all four strong before anything is done. 



