170 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



Queen, who seem to pay them no attention whatever. 

 If, however, they have been with other Bees it is almost 

 impossible by any known means to get them accepted 

 by strangers, so long as they remain infertile. 



'King's Bee-Keepers' Text Book' describes the fol- 

 lowing method of procedure pursued in America to 

 form nuclei : — 



"Form a nucleus from an Italian or other populous 

 stock, by blowing a few whiffs of smoke into the en- 

 trance, and, opening the hive, select a frame of comb 

 containing capped brood, but especially plenty of eggs 

 and young larvae. After looking this over carefully, lest 

 the old Queen be removed, place it, with its adhering 

 Bees, in the empty hive, and next to it another comb 

 containing honey, which will afford protection to the 

 brood and food for the Bees, as many of the old Bees 

 will return to the parent stock ; give the nucleus hive at 

 least a quart of Bees, and set it on a new stand, two or 

 three rods distant. Contract the entrance so that but 

 one or two Bees can pass at the same time, a feeder 

 or sponge filled with sweetened water, set on the 

 frames, will supply their wants until the young Bees go 

 to work in their new location. In place of the combs 

 removed from the parent stock, set in empty frames 

 with a full one between. If the frames are put near the 

 •centre the old will increase all the faster, as the Queen 

 will fill the new comb with eggs as fast as it is built. 

 The removal of the two frames stimulates the Bees to 

 great activity by giving them room to work, and de- 

 taches just Bees enough to prevent their clustering idly 

 about the entrance. The nucleus will construct Queen- 

 cells, and rear a Queen as well as whole swarms. 

 Besides, the Queen is easily found among so few Bees. 

 We now wait until the tenth or eleventh day from the 



