QUEEN SAISINQ AND INTBODUCING. 137 



of the age of every queen. It is not a difficult matter 

 for a cottager to know the ages of his queens, for 

 a stock out of which a swarm issued, say in 1894, 

 will have a queen of good quahty in 1895, one that 

 may be expected to do good work that season and 

 probably equally so in 1896, because, being provided 

 with brood-chambers of limited capacity, queens 

 heading stocks in skeps do remain profitable longer 

 than those whose energies are directed to filling with 

 eggs, the combs of an extensive brood-nest such as is 

 found in a bar-frame hive. 



In case the idea should be entertained that no 

 harm can result from stocks requeening themselves, 

 it is well to state that every effort should be directed 

 to obtaining and keeping in each colony only queens 

 exhibiting the most desirable qualities. This cannot 

 always result if requeening is left to the bees, for 

 when the necessity for superseding a queen arises the 

 stock will, in all probability, be thin in numbers ; and 

 as the nurse bees play an important part in the 

 rearing of bees, it is best to ensure the raising of 

 queens in fuU colonies. 



Queen Eaising. 



Movable combs render the operations of queen 

 raising and introducing comparatively easy. 



Having selected the stock from which it is desired 

 to raise queens, remove the queen about noon on a 

 warm day, when most of the old bees are out foraging. 

 By giving very little smoke the bees will not be dis- 

 turbed, and the queen will most Ukely be found at 



