SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 93 



course, the more bees there are in the hive to feed and care for it while it 

 is developing, the better the queen she will be. So to expect the very best 

 queens, we must have strong populous colonies to develop them. 



It is. not necessary .for me to call your attention to the fact that queens 

 should be raised from the very best queens obtainable, as we would breed 

 from the best stock of animals to expect the best results of them. If we 

 develop queens in strong colonies from the larvae, or very young bees, 

 of a queen whose workers are great honey-gatherers, we may expect good 

 prolific queens, and that their workers will also be good honey-gatherers. 



On the other hand, if a queen is raised by a small colony of bees from 

 poor stock we could expect only a poor queen. So whatever the character- 

 istics of the queen are, her offspring will possess ; and if she is not properly 

 cared for while developing she will be dwarfed, and her colony of workers 

 will be small, and results will not be satisfactory. If we will look after 

 our queens, and give them the proper showing, we need not fret about 

 the honey that is going to waste around us, for she will produce bees and 

 save it, if weather permits. 



It is evident, from what has been said, that the queen is the main 

 bee in the hive, and that her progeny is a matter of great importance in 

 keeping bees for cents and dollars. 



In a few hours after a colony of bees has been made queenless they 

 will start to raise them another queen; and to make sure of this they will 

 start a number of cells. Or if their mother is old, and shows signs of fail- 

 ing to keep" up the colony, they may set to work to raise them anot'ier 

 queen to supersede their mother. Or if they decide to swarm they will 

 begin to raise them another queen to take the place of their mother after 

 she goes out vvith the swarm. 



Good queens can be raised in strong colonies almost any time during 

 spring, summer, and fall when there is some honey coming in and the 

 weather is warm. 



Now, if you have the experience and desire to raise queens in a 

 wholesale way for the market you should get a queen-rearing outfit and 

 book of instructions, and read it over several times, and study it until ycu 

 have the work clear in your mind and then proceed, following instructions 

 as nearly as possible. If you desire to raise only a few good queens to 

 supply your own apiary or apiaries, and perhaps a few surplus ones to sell, 

 and the queens are desired in early spring before swarming time, as soon 

 as the weather warms up a little and some honey and pollen are coming in 

 from the earliest honey and pollen plants, kill or remove the queen in the 

 apiary that is giving the poorest results, then on the next day go to the 

 strongest colony and lift the frames out carefully, and examine them closely 

 for the queen; and when you find her, set the frame she is on carefully 

 beside the hive to itself. Now lift out all the remaining frames in the 

 hive which have any brood in them of any consequence; then set the 

 frame containing the queen back in the hive, and all the frames of honey, 

 and those that may have a small patch of brood in them, pushing them 



