and its Economic Management. 245 
with the advantages offered by the above hive, there is 
seldom any inclination to leave work just for the pleasure of 
swarming, 
Virgins to Supersede Fertile Queens. 
It has been claimed by a number of writers that the issue 
of swarms may be prevented by introducing a virgin queen 
to populous colonies ; when the reigning queen is destroyed, 
and also the queen cells when any had been started. 
An Australian bee-keeper considers this plan is not 
effectual where the original queen is under two years of age. 
He, however, uses the process so that both old and young 
queen may work together, as Italians will frequently do. 
The old queen is more likely to be destroyed where blacks 
or hybrids are used. 
In the latter case it would be somewhat risky leaving a 
number of valuable stocks with a virgin queen during a 
spell of bad weather, and the plan is in other ways subject 
to much uncertainty. : 
The Working of New Combs in Sections 
with the author’s hanging-chamber hives is now more satis- 
factory, while the cutting of them for fitting into sections 
can be entirely avoided by the use of his completely divided 
sections and section holders, as provided in the original 
Conqueror hive, class C.* 
When it is desired to draw out the foundation before 
placing the divided halves in position, a sheet is attached 
to one side of each alternate half of the section frames ; or, 
in other words, only one-half of the sectional parts required, 
being furnished with foundation attached to the inner-side, 
a shallow chamber is filled up with them, and placed next 
* See illustrations of halved sections and holders; also manner of 
inserting the foundation in a line of three-side-cut sections. 
