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THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



147 



after the laying queens are removed the 

 better, provided it is going to be done 

 before the bees fully realize their queen- 

 less condition. The virgin partakes of the 

 scent of the colonies before there is any 

 excitement and may be accepted as su- 

 percodure queens; and while I lose only 

 a small per cent, of those given at once, 

 during a i\o-w, I would recommend 

 queenlessness for two days, as a rule ; 

 in other words, simply vary the condi- 

 tions as is recommended in giving ripe 

 cells, not only in the time of queenless- 

 ness, but the amount of smoke used as 

 well. I never handle the young queens, 

 but allow them to crawl from the nurs- 

 ery into wire cages and from the cages 

 into the nuclei. It should be remem- 

 bered that they are too young to run 

 in, as they crawl before running. 



It may be that the conditions of the 

 nuclei have some bearing on the subject, 

 though I follow the same course, only 

 varying the time of queenlessness to 

 never more than three days, if I can 

 have the young queens ready. 



I use three full-size frame nuclei and 

 prefer having one comb full of honey 

 and at least enough bees to nicely cover 

 two combs. The bees in a nuclus ans- 

 wering this description are less excitable 

 than a mere handful, and especially on 

 scanty stores, and consequently virgins 

 or cells are more readily accepted by 

 them. The queens are more easily 

 found and less liable to be balled dur- 

 ing manipulations or the mating period , 

 or to fly from the combs while being 

 handled, a thing they often do just 

 before and after they commence to lay, 

 if there are not enough bees surround- 

 ing them to give them a feeling of 

 safety. Besides, such nuclei have 

 eggs enough deposited in a shorter time 

 to keep up the force than do weak ones, 

 and also furnish combs of brood to be 

 used in forming others or to build up 

 weak colonies. 



In early spring I form enough nuclei 

 in full-sized bodies to hold the combs 

 used in others and after I am don<; 



multiplying them the combs of brood 

 from the three-frame nuclei that become 

 crowded are given to those being built 

 up, until they reach a pretty safe point 

 for wintering, and then as queens are 

 disposed of late in the season the combs 

 and bees are added to these colonies, 

 which usually winter as well as any. 



The reference Iiere given to nuclei 

 further than seeing that they are amply 

 supplied with bees and stores, has no 

 bearing on our subject, but is given 

 that some may be benefitted who do not 

 know any easy way of uniting their 

 nuclei to good advantage. Neither do 

 I want to make the impression that any 

 special provisions are necessary to have 

 the "downy misses" accepted, for with 

 me it is done with the same assurance 

 of acceptance as is the case with ripe 

 cells under like conditions. 



Creek, N. C, July 11, 1900. 



Pleased with His Premium Queen. 

 Mitchell, Ore., June 18, 1900. 

 Mk. H. E. Hill, Ft. Pierce, Fla. 



Dear Sir: — The premium queen that 

 you sent me on June 5th has arrived 

 and begun business in a queenless col- 

 ony. She is the finest queen I have 

 ever seen. My wife says I think more 

 of that queen than I do of her, so you 

 may see how well pleased I am with the 

 queen. I think I will send you an order 

 soon for a dozen more. I have a yard of 

 lifty-oue colonies — all common stock. 

 Yt)urs truly, John A. Flock. 



[We liave more of the same kind of 

 queens to send to our friends who will 

 send in clubs of five yearly subscribers, 

 as did Mr. Flock. It is not the difficult 

 task to. secure new subscribers that 

 many would . imagine. We will gladly 

 send sample copies, and promptly mail 

 the queens. We guarantee the safe 

 arrival of queens as well as the excel- 

 lenc<! of their characteristics. — Editor.] 



UNITED STATES BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. 



Secretary— Dr. A. B. Mason, Station B, Toledo, 

 Ohio. 



General Manager and Treasurer — Hon. Eugene 

 Secor, Forest City, la. 



