AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 97 



simple, easy to follow, and closely in agreement with 

 the natural method. On his plan, which I strongly 

 advocate, I have raised thousands of far finer queens 

 than I have ever seen bred or been able to raise under 

 other methods. 



SEASON FOR QUEEN RAISING. 



Any time from the commencement of fine, settled 

 weather in the Spring, when drones begin to fly, until 

 the beginning of the Autumn, before the drones are 

 killed off, queens can be reared. In the Auckland 

 Province, and other parts of Australasia in the same 

 latitude, from early in October to beginning of March. 

 The greatest success is achieved just about the time 

 when the bees are ready to swarm in Spring, and early 

 Summer. The largest number of the finest cells will 

 be built at that time. 



In order to have the colonies chosen for queen 

 rearing well forward in Spring, and the right drones 

 flying in time, they should be stimulated by slow 

 feeding, and if necessary strengthened by giving a 

 frame of brood occasionally from other colonies. I am, 

 of course, taking it for granted that Italian queens will 

 be bred. As soon as the colonies selected for rearing 

 drones are getting fairly strong, put in near the centre 

 of each of the brood chambers a frame of drone-comb. 



SECURING DRONE-COMB. 



When the bees are in full swing storing honey in the 

 surplus boxes, remove a couple of frames of comb from 

 the centre of the surplus box and insert in their places 

 frames containing a narrow strip of comb foundation. 

 The bees will at once build the frames full of drone- 

 comb, and may store honey in part, and breed in part. 

 They can be removed till the brood dies, and then be 

 given back to the bees to clean. Any quantity of 

 good drone-comb can be secured in this way for future 

 use. 



