32 QUEEN-REARING IX ENGLAND. 



But often a bee-keeper is compelled to place his nuclei 

 within a few yards of the hives from which the bees are 

 obtained. 



One way of preventing many bees from returning is to 

 keep them confined for five davs, but this method cannot be 

 recommended unless they can be placed in a cool and dark 

 cellar, for in their efforts to get out they rush about and gorge 

 themselves with food, and, being unable to evacuate the 

 accumulated waste matter, they die, the mortality being speci- 

 ally great amongst the old bees. 



It is, however, possible to get bees to remain in the new 

 hi\e w'ithout confining them for any length of time. It has 

 been done in my apiary more or less successfully on many 

 occasions. 



The bees are taken from their hive without any queen 

 or any unsealed brood, and confined in a limited space from 

 about I p.m until nightfall, due precautions for the supply 

 of food and air being taken. About four hours after the 

 confinement commenced a \'irgin two or three days old is run 

 in amongst the excited bees, who accept her immediately. 

 The nucleus is not disturbed for a day or two, and usually 

 vevy few bees return. 



Incarrving out this method in the case of nuclei placed in 

 Sladen nucleus hi\es, each nucleus is made to consist of suffi- 

 cient bees to cover three combs thinlv, or two combs thickly, 

 and it is placed, with three combs, in its compartment occupy- 

 ing one-third of the space in the hive. The combs together 

 contain at least 3lbs. of honey, or syrup — .slbs. is better — and 

 one or two of them, though this is not essential, should con- 

 tain some sealed brood. Care is taken to see that no eggs, 

 lar\a, queen-cells, or queens, are included. 



\\'hile it is possible to succeed in making up such nuclei 

 with bees taken from anv hives that can spare them it is much 

 bi'tters to select bees that are in the most suitable condition. 

 The best are obtained by breaking up colonies that have 

 swarmed or have had their queens removed ten or fifteen days 

 previously (all queen-cells ha\ing been removed before they 

 could hatch). Advantages derived from making the nuclei 

 from such colonies are that they supplv the combs of honey 

 and sealed brood that are w^anted, and also that the bees have 



