122 THE beekeepers' DIRECTORY. 



wholly for cell-building ; the bottom half of the comb being re- 

 moved to give the proper amount of space for the row of queen- 

 cells. When I have used" such combs for cell-building, from six- 

 teen to thirty-six were placed in one hive. The latter number is 

 used only when one unusually large colony is taken for queen- 

 rearing. The former number is as many as are needed for an 

 ordinary-sized colony. 



While it is quite convenient to use such combs for cell-build- 

 ing, I find that larger frames may be utilized to as equally good 

 advantage. To make room for the cells, pieces of comb three 

 inches long by two inches wide are cut out near the bottom of 

 the frame. Some fifteen or twenty such combs •re kept at hand 

 in our apiary for that special purpose. 



How to &sten the strips of comb in position. 



When the strips of comb are prepared and ready to be placed 

 in position, the cells that were noif cut axe dipped in the 'melted 

 beeswax and rosin, and immediately placed in position as shown 

 in fig. 10. The middle of the strip of comb should not be 

 pressed down hard, but the ends should, as this will make it still 

 more convex. There is such a thing, however, as overdoing the 

 curving part of it. One must use his judgment in the matter. 



Some minor details. 



The wax-mixture must not be too hot, nor should the comb 

 be dipped into it too far, as more wax would be used than is 

 necessary. If too much adheres to the comb it would be likely 

 to enter the cells and destroy the eggs in. the cells on the oppo- 

 site side from which the bees are to rear the queens. 



Perhaps I may go into details too much if I say that the frame 

 of comb to which the strip of eggs is to be attached should be 

 inverted to better facilitate the operation. With but slight ex- 

 perience and practice one will soon learn how to do these things 

 as they should be done. It would require a large volume to ex- 

 plain all the minor details connected with beekeeping or even in 

 queen-rearing. 



Finding a queen. 



Many beekeepers write us that they would like to introduce 

 an Italian queen if they could only find the one in the colony 



