133 QTTEEITS. 



persistent experiment will overcome present obstacles, and 

 achieve the desired result. An earnest wish may prompt 

 this opinion, for, if successful, the result must be a higher 

 standard of purity, and an excellence not otherwise to be 

 attained. 



REARING QUEENS. 

 WHEN TO BEAK. 



The first step necessary is to secure a supply of drones 

 from such stocks as may have been chosen for the pur" 

 pose. It is usually better to select such swarms the sea- 

 son previous, furnish them drone comb, and mark them, 

 so as to identify them. As in most other active opera- 

 tions of the apiary, the time at which queens may be prof- 

 itably reared, will vary in different seasons and localities. 

 It will be seen that I do not advocate as eai-ly operations 

 as many writers. I have sometimes succeeded in stimu- 

 lating swarms to unusually early breeding, but such 

 efforts have never resulted profitably. 



In a climate like Central New York I shall not advise 

 rearing queens before apple blossoms appear, which is 

 here from the 12th to the 20th of May. 



Swarms that are queenless before this time should be 

 united with others that have queens. Even at this date 

 queen-rearing will be found somewhat vexatious, especially 

 if the weather is unfavorable, and the usual scarcity of 

 honey follows, as it will necessitate feeding. 



Tlie nuclei will also need to be much stronger at this 

 time, than later in the season. If it is desired to rear 

 Italian queens at such times as native drones will not in- 

 terfere, it may often be done by stimulating Italian colo- 

 nies to early breeding in spring ; or a native stock may 

 have Italian drone-brood given it towards fall, and if they 

 are kept queenless, they will keep their drones late in the 

 season, after the native drones are destroyed, I have sue- 



