134 DR. miller's 



frame and put them in an empty hive-body. Leave the queen 

 with the one frame of brood, and destroy any queen-cells that 

 may be on that frame. Fill out both hives with frames filled with 

 foundation, or with starters or drawn comb. Put a queen- 

 excluder over the hive containing the queen and one brood- 

 frame, and set the other hive on top of this. Five days later look 

 for queen-cells in the upper stories. If you find queen-cells in an 

 upper story, let it stand another fiv« days, and then set it on its 

 new stand, giving it a queen-cell from one of the others. It will 

 hurry up matters if you can give a laying queen to each. 



Q. When taking the top story off, how many bees should go 

 with it? 



A. I think Mr. Alexander took all that were in it. 



Q. Do you consider the above method better than allowing 

 natural swarming with clipped queen, or dividing by forming 

 nuclei? 



A. No, not for me, and probably not for one in a thousand in 

 the North. 



Q. I have three colonies and should like to increase and also 

 try Caucasians. Could I take one or two frames from each 

 colony, unite them and then introduce a Caucasian queen? Will 

 it prevent the mother colonies from swarming? Can you suggest 

 a better plan if. mine isn't practicable? 



A. Yes, your plan is feasible. But taking away only one or 

 two frames of brood from each colony is not likely to prevent 

 swarming, although it will delay, and in a few cases prevent it. 

 To fuliill your desire you will do well to follow what is called the 

 Alexander plan, varied a little. Wait until the time comes when 

 there is danger of swarming. Then put all brood but one frame 

 in a second story, leaving in the lower story the one brood and 

 queen, filling out with drawn combs or frames filled with founda- 

 tion, and pay no attention to where the bees are. Put a frame of 

 comb or foundation in the second story to fill out the vacancy. 

 Have a queen-excluder between the first and second story. A 

 week or ten days later lift off the second story and set it on a new 

 stand, destroying all queen-cells, if there are any. Twenty-four 

 hours later give to this new colony a laying queen, a virgin, or a 

 queen-cell. 



Q. I have two strong colonies of bees; in each hive the brood- 

 chamber is a double 10-frame brood-chamber, making 20 frames 

 to each. 



Now, I wish to know what is the best way to make "increase" 



