io6 First Annual Report 



brood into the nucleus before the eggs hatch ; as in that case the larvae is fed, 

 upon the royal jelly from the time the egg hatches until it is sealed over, and 

 therefore would receive more than a grub that is well advanced. When the 

 brood is given to the nucleus, the bees will often start several queen cells 

 from it, and in from ten to fourteen days some of the cells will hatch. Just 

 before they do all the cells but one may be removed and placed in other 

 nuclei, or in hives that have been queenless for at least twelve hours. This 

 is much safer than to allow them to hatch, and then attempt to introduce a 

 virgin queen to a hive or nucleus, as they will rarely receive a queen until 

 after impregnation takes place. 



During the months of June, July and August, if the weather is pleasant 

 the queen will invariably come out to meet the drone on the fifth day after 

 leaving the cell, and in two or three days she will commence laying eggs. 

 She should be removed from the nucleus after impregnation takes places, and 

 before she commences to lay, if it is desired to rear another queen in the same 

 nucleus. If she is allowed to commence laying before being removed, the 

 bees will, after her removal, begin to construct queen cells from the eggs laid 

 by her, in which case it would be necessary to keep the nucleus queenless for 

 five days, or introduce a cell just ready to hatch within twelve hours after re- 

 moving the queen. 



By the Secretary. In addition to the above plan of rearing Italian queens 

 take the hive that has a queen that is the least desirable, search her out and 

 pinch off her head, then let the hive remain about stven days without a 

 queen; take out all the brood frames and destroy all the queen cells they 

 may have made; return all the brood frames to the hive except one, and in 

 its stead put a brood frame taken out of the hive containing best queen, 

 using care to get a frame containing fresh laid eggs . On this broad frame 

 they will start sometimes quite a number of queen cells, which will begin to 

 hatch out in from ten to fourteen days. 



Then to divide swarms to increase colonies and prevent swarming begin 

 before the queen cells are in danger of hatching. Divide any colony that is 

 strong, placing one-half the frames in each hive, seeing that each has a good 

 supply of brood. If the queen be a good one leave her in one of the hives, 

 and in the other insert one of the queen cells. If they destroy this cell, after 

 they have been a week without a queen, destroy the cells they may have 

 started and insert another queen cell. 



INTRODUCING THE QUEEN. 



The proper time for moving the black queen is the middle of the day — 

 great care being taken not to alarm the bees when the frames are removed. 

 Smoke, or even sudden jarring, will cause the queen to seek the bottom or 

 the hive or some other place of refuge. Carefully raised off the top, without 

 jarring the hive and alarming the bees, near you place an empty hive in which 

 to put the frames as you take them out, examine carefully the combs in the 



