340 A Modern Bee-Farm 
in the empty skep. The length of the body, as well as its 
brighter color, should enable one to distinguish the royal 
form, while it should be remembered that the queen’s legs 
are always of a reddish-brown color, those of the workers 
being much darker. 
INTRODUCTION BY CAGING. 
Procure a cage made of fine perforated zinc I4in. in 
diameter, and rin. deep, having one end only closed 
with the same material. When the queen arrives place 
her in this cage while yet indoors, slip a thin card under 
and carry her to the hive. Without removing the frames 
other than to give plenty of room laterally, slide the cage 
carefully from the card on to uncapped cells of honey, 
within the margin of the cluster, and press it down to the 
mid-rib of the comb with a cutting motion. The queen 
now has plenty of food, and if the perforations are fine 
enough the bees are unable to molest her. After 48 hours, 
give a puff or two of smoke, carefully examine the 
condition of the bees nearest the cage, and if simply 
passing their tongues through the perforations, the queen 
may be released without fear of the bees attacking her, 
but all the same watch their actions closely for a few 
moments. If all is well the bees will gather around her, 
but not thickly ; those nearest will clean her with their 
tongues, while one or two may be seen feeding her. Under 
that condition the hive may be closed and left, but should 
they be found clustering tightly in large numbers about 
the cage, at once close the hive and wait another twelve 
hours ; and in case a queen is attacked after being released 
(which is known by the bees forming into a knot about her 
and stinging each other in their endeavor to so do to 
the stranger, called “balling”), then confine her again, 
first dispersing the angry cluster by heavy smoking. 
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