QUEENS. 129 



damp wing, and take to the old position on the stand. 

 Empty the bees from the box, in front of the hive, and 

 see that all enter. Contract the entrance, and in all ways 

 prevent robbing. A little honey left on the outside might 

 excite plundering, and the colony is not now in good con- 

 dition to repel attacks. If they are strong, the bees will 

 soon join all the parts, and fasten all the combs securely 

 to the frames, when the sticks may be taken off and laid 

 away for future use. For their first experiments m this 

 direction beginners should select a hive with old, tough, 

 and straight combs. 



Capt. Hetherington prepares his frames for transfer- 

 ring, by boring holes through all four sides of the frame, 

 about once in two inches, and fastens the combs in place, 

 by sticking the thorns of the red haw through these holes 

 into the edges of the comb. As these are very tough, and 

 do not need to be removed, they make the comb very 

 firm, and less liable to break out when handling. He has 

 practised this method very extensively, and considers it 

 superior to any other. It is desirable to find the queen, 

 if possible, when driving the bees into the box, and cage 

 her. After the transferring is completed, place the cage 

 on top of, or between the combs, when the bees will more 

 readily gather among them. When they become quiet, 

 she may be liberated. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



QUEENS. 



IMPOETANCE OF SELECTING GOOD STOCK. 



The prosperity of every swarm depends very largely upon 

 the queen. This being true, too much importance cannot 

 be attached to the necessity of keeping each hive supplied 

 with a good queen. In all other branches of stock-raising 



