102 FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT 



baby nuclei, that you can do it without any arrangement of 

 this kind at all, only just what you have at home. I reared 

 a number of queens last year and had them fertilized. I 

 followed Boston Smith's rule, "Do the best you can with 

 what you have." I didn't have anything of that kind. I had 

 an ordinary hive that I use every day, a dove-tailed hive. In 

 that I put a wide frame that will hold four sections. In that 

 I put one section of honey filled solid full of honey. Another 

 frame beside it with a section of comb, no honey in it at all. 

 It doesn't matter whether there is or not. I put those two 

 in the hive. Had the hive closed up in front so that it would 

 have only an entrance of one-quarter of an inch. Then I go 

 to a hive, take out a frame of brood with the adhering bees 

 and bring it to that hive. Then I tell my assistant to take 

 that and pound off the bees and at the same time I drop a 

 virgin queen in the bottom of the hive, quickly shut the 

 thing up, and leave them fastened there for three days. Then 

 open the entrance, and that is all. The bees do the rest. 



Mr. McCain^After forming the little colony — the nucleus 

 — ^how long does Mr. Root keep that closed before liberating 

 the bees or the queen? 



Mr. Root — That all depends upon whether you carry them 

 to an out-apiary. 



Mr. McCain — In the yard. 



Mr. Root — Not less than three days. They will have to 

 be shut up at least three days to get them so that they will 

 get used to a new location. At the end of that time they 

 will do very well. In the out-yard you can use them imme- 

 diately. 



Mr. Wheeler — Mr. Stanley is here. He rears queens and 

 I have bought hundreds of them in the last year and he has 

 a very unique and fine way of rearing them, and he will 

 exhibit for you any time you want him to in the back room. 

 He does not care to come before the assembly and speak; 

 but there is one thing I can assure you he rears good, lively 

 queens, and the bees take them, and they lay, and they are a 

 good color. He is one of the largest bee-keepers in the State, 

 I understand ; he represents about 700 colonies. Such .men as 

 that are men that work as well as talk. 



Pres. York — Has Mr. Stanley anything to say on this? 



Mr. Stanley — No, not unless anyone wishes me to talk. 



(Mr. Stanley was requested to explain his method of rear- 

 ing queens.) 



Pres. York — While Mr. Stanley is getting ready I think 

 we may take up a question or two. 



SHOOK-SWARMING. 



"How many present think shook-swarming a preferable 

 and practical method of management?" 



Mr. Whitney — That would depend largely upon circum- 

 stances. 



(Pres. York called for a show of hands on the question. 

 The request was complied with.) 



