44 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



capped brood should be selected, though it is 

 indispensable that they contain some eggs and 

 recently hatched larvae. The lower margin of 

 each brood comb should also be pruned off till 

 the cells containing eggs and larva? are reached. 

 This is not absolutely necessary, but experience 

 shows that bees are more disposed to start 

 queen cells on such freshly pruned margins ; 

 and cells there built can usually be more easily 

 removed. When the nucleus hives are thus 

 prepared, the old stocks are to be opened in 

 succession, a brood comb lifted out of each and 

 the bees brushed off from it into the nuclei until 

 each contains about two thousand — replacing 

 the combs in the hives from which they were 

 taken. A comb containing about one-and-a- 

 half pounds of honey is noAV inserted in each 

 nucleus. These are then closed and carried in- 

 to a cool, dark, dry cellar or chamber — the en- 

 trance of each nucleus being secured with wire 

 gauze or a piece of perforated zinc, for ventila- 

 tion and to confine the bees. 



The bees will speedily start queen cells. On 

 the ninth day, or on the 9th of May, the nuclei 

 are to be examined, to ascertain how many 

 sealed queen cells each contains, or rather how 

 many queen cells can be made available unin- 

 jured by removal. 



Assuming that from the two nuclei eight 

 queen cells may be taken uninjured (and there 

 will rarely be more, usually fewer), six more 

 nuclei hives are to be prepared by inserting an 

 empty worker comb in each ; and they are then 

 carried to a chamber, or other suitable place 

 with closed doors and windows shut, so as to be 

 free from annoyance by the bees in the apiary. 

 The brood combs are now to be taken out of 

 the nucleus hives, the bees brushed off into 

 each hive, and all the queen cells, save one on 

 each comb, carefully cut out, the comb replaced, 

 some honey introduced if needed, and the nu- 

 cleus again closed. 



The queen cells thus obtained are to be laid 

 on some soft cotton wadding, and gently cover- 

 ed with the same article. The nuclei are then 

 to be examined, to ascertain whether they still 

 contain a sufficient number of bees. If there 

 are at least a thousand remaining in each, and 

 the combs still contain a considerable quantity 

 of unmatured brood, all right. But if the num- 

 ber be smaller, they should be reinforced from 

 those that have flown to the windows — which 

 may be brushed into a basin of water, strained 

 out, and restored to their companions. These 

 two nucleus hives are then to be replaced in the 

 cellar or dark chamber, whence they were 

 brought. 



The six additional nucleus hives are to be 

 treated as follows : Close the entrances with 

 Avire gauze or perforated zinc, and suspend 

 in each nucleus a comb filled with brood, and 

 all the bees adhering to it, taken from one of 

 the eight reminaing old stocks. 



Now, new nucleus No. 1, is to be taken in 

 hand. Open it, lift out the brood comb, brush 

 oil' all the bees into the hive and on the empty 

 worker comb it contains, insert a queen cell in 

 the brood comb, and replace it in the hive, 

 whi*h is then to be closed and set aside. 



Next, new nucleus No. 2, receives attention. 



It is opened, the brood comb lifted out, and the 

 bees brushed off into No. 1, (which is to be 

 opened to receive them), and the deprived 

 comb is set aside temporarily. To this nucleus 

 is also given a comb containing about one-and- 

 a-half pounds of honey. Thus supplied No. 1 

 is again closed, and sent to the cellar or dark 

 chamber. We then take No. 2 in hand again. 

 Inserting a queen cell in the brood comb taken 

 from it, (and from which the bees were brushed 

 into No. 1 before it was set aside), it is replaced 

 in No. 2, on tho empty comb in which some 

 bees will already have collected. No. 3, is now 

 opened, the brood comb lifted out, the bees 

 brushed off from it into No. 2, and the comb 

 set aside temporarily. Giving No. 2 a comb of 

 honey likewise, we close it and send it also to 

 the cellar or dark chamber. 



This process is repeated till five of the nuclei 

 have thus been formed, and dispatched to their 

 colleagues in tho cellar or chamber. 



For nucleus No. 6, wo have a brood comb 

 and a queen cell in readiness, but we still want 

 bees. We insert the queen cell in the brood 

 comb, placing this in No. 6. We then open 

 those of the ten old stocks from which no bees 

 have yet been taken, lift a brood comb out of 

 each, brush off the bees into No. 6, and replace 

 the combs in their respective hives. If more 

 bees seem to be required, brush those gathered 

 at the windows into a basin of water, strain 

 them out as before, and introduce them in No. 

 0. We then give this nucleus a comb of honey 

 also, and send it to the others in the cellar or 

 dark chamber. 



Your old stocks must be in good condition to 

 be able to furnish bees enough for eight nuclei 

 so early as the 9th of May. It was neverthe- 

 less judicious to make two nuclei on the 80th 

 of April, so that all the labor should not be lost in 

 case one failed to raise queen cells. But on the 

 9th of May, it is a matter of serious consider- 

 ation whether it be not too exacting to demand 

 bees for eight nuclei from ten old colonies. 

 The masters, indeed, tell us that the removal of 

 a comb of brood or of several thousand bees 

 from a strong colony, is only a beneficial de- 

 privation ; but they expressly caution us 

 against applying the process to a colony 

 still weak. Those who are not yet mas- 

 ters are very apt to regard weak stocks as 

 strong, because they wish them to be so ; 

 and they are the more easily tempted, es- 

 pecially so early in the spring, so to reduce a 

 weak colony that it can recover only with diffi- 

 culty, and will produce neither a swarm not- 

 surplus honey that season. Where no large 

 increase of stocks is contemplated, it is useless 

 to start so many nucleus hives ; but eveu where 

 such increase is desired or designed, it is best to 

 be cautious and mako only two or three addi- 

 tional nuclei on tho 9th of May, instead of six 

 — unless the old stocks are already very popu- 

 lous. 



The nuclei are now finished and placed in the 

 cellar or dark chamber. Here they are to re- 

 main till all the young queens and most of the 

 brood have emerged ; and that this may not in- 

 volve too much delay, the nuclei were furnish- 

 ed on the 9th of May, as far as practicable with 



