QUEEUS. 13ft 



axe to be built up artificially (as hereafter directed), and 

 are already in the hives designated to receive such swarms. 



The process of rearing queens in full colonies is as fol- 

 lows : Select the stock from which it is desired to secure 

 queen cells. Eemove the queen, and place her in a hive 

 prepared to receive her, or use her to supply any de- 

 ficiency that may have occurred. The bees, finding them- 

 selves destitute of a queen, will proceed to construct 

 queen-cells, which should be cared for as directed in this 

 chapter. If it is preferred to use a stock of native bees, 

 which are thought by some to be better nurses, remove 

 the queen, and take from them all the combs containing 

 eggs and brood, in its first stages. These combs may be 

 placed in hives which need strengthenmg, after shaking 

 and brushing all bees back to their own stand. Now, 

 take from the hive possessing the queen, whose brood you 

 wish to secure, such combs as contain larvae of the required 

 age. If this hive had been supplied about six days pre- 

 viously with clean white worker-combs, placed in the 

 center of the brood-nest, it would probably contain larvae 

 in just the desired degree of development. Besides, when 

 tender combs are used, queen-cells will be more readily 

 started, with the chances in favor of a larger number. 

 Kemove the bees from these combs, and place the latter 

 in the native swarm prepared for them. 



It is not best to expect more than ten or twelve cells 

 from each hive thus arranged, yet when all the conditions 

 are favorable, I have sometimes had a much larger num- 

 ber started. If several colonies are to be prepared in this 

 way, it is better to do It on successive days, that the 

 queens may not mature so nearly at once, so that a less 

 number will need care at the same time. In eight days 

 after the above operation, the combs may be carefully 

 hfted out, and the number of cells ascertained. In some 

 instances they will be built so closely together, that they 

 can not be separated with safety to all. For instance, if 



