278 



THB bbb-kbbpbr's guidb ; 



of the cup uniform. At least a little pressure loosens the cell 

 from the stick, when it is dipped once more and stuck to the 

 strip (Fig. 130), which will hold it in the frame. Usually there 

 are twelve or fourteen to one strip. This can be fastened 

 close below the comb in a partly filled frame. A little royal 

 jelly from a queen-cell just ready to be capped is now inserted 



iu each cup, and a larva less than one day old, always with 



r, ■ 



Fig. 130. 



JDooUttJe C'en-Oiips, — From Oeorge W. Yoyl- £ Co. 



food about it, is transferred to this in precisely the same posi- 

 tion it had in the worker-cell. An ear-spoon or quill toothpick, 

 cut and bent into a spoon-like form, or hard-wood stick of 

 similar shape, is excellent to transfer the jelly and larvEe. 

 One queen-cell will furnish enoug-h jelly for from eight to 

 twelve or fourteen cells. Of course, the larva; will be taken 

 from the best queen in the apiary. To get these cells cared 

 for, the frame is put in an upper story of a strong colony with 

 a queen-excluding honey-board (Fig. 91) between two frames 

 full of brood in all stages. They can be built out and finished 

 below by using a perforated-zinc division-board (Fig. 88, 92), 

 which will surely keep the queen away. It should be placed 

 between the same kind of frames as when put above. In ten 

 or twelve days we have probably twelve very fine capped 

 queen-cells which can be easily removed. 



Mr. W. H. Pridgen, of North Carolina, has improved Mr. 

 Doolittle's scheme by a wholesale method of forming the cups. 

 He fastens twelve or more of the dipping-sticks to a strip of 



