126 INCREASE 
The elaborate descriptions of this system are disconcerting 
to the novice but in reality it is quite simple. It is rather a 
delicate task to transfer the newly hatched larve from the worker 
cell to the artificial cell in the wood eup, but a little experience 
will make it easy. By the present method there are no cells to 
dip or other complicated processes to confuse the inexperienced. 
He needs only to place as many of the wax cells in the wood cups 
as he wishes to use. He then places these in the frames in which 
they hang in the hive and transfers a baby bee and a drop of 
royal jelly to each one. 
Care of Cells—The real problem by this method is to get 
colonies in proper condition to care for the large numbers of cells 
which the commercial queen breeder must constantly have in 
order to get a sufficient number of queens to make it profitable. 
While some queen breeders rear their queens in small nuclei, 
it is the general opinion that the best queens are reared in.strong 
colonies. 
A colony can be made queenless and after twenty-four hours 
be given a frame of these prepared cells. They are likely to be 
accepted and cared for and a second lot can be given when these 
are taken away. Ilowever, the leading queen breeders have been 
seeking a method of safely finishing these cells in strong colonies 
with laying queens so that the queens will be reared under 
similar conditions to those reared when the bees are preparing 
toswarm. The Roots, who are extensive queen breeders, practise 
making two-story colonies with the queen in the lower story and 
an excluder between the two. The brood is raised into the upper 
story so that the queen will go on laying below but no new brood 
will appear above. The frame with prepared cells is placed in 
the center of the brood above the excluder and the bees finish 
the cells nicely. When one batch is removed another is given in 
place of it, and when all the brood is hatched above, the brood 
from below is again lifted to insure proper attention to the queen 
cells. It seems to be necessary to keep brood above to secure good 
results. 
