FIFTY TEARS AMONG THE BEES 157 



away and gave her to a nucleus, a new colony, or wherever a 

 queen was needed. At the end of the ten days I returned her 

 to the colony, placing her directly upon a comb taken from the 

 middle of the broodnest. Often, however, I gave them a differ- 

 ent queen, for after an absence of ten days I doubt if they 

 could tell their own queen from any other. Besides, they were 

 in a condition to take any queen without grumbling. 



After the first year, however, I had some colonies swarm 

 again after the queen was given them. Whether it was the 

 season, the change in the plan, or some other cause, I am unable 

 to say. 



PUT-UP PLAN. 



1 then adopted a plan which relieved me of the necessity 

 of hunting for and cutting out queen-cells. No matter how 

 careful I might be, there was always a possibility that I might 

 overlook a queen-cell, although this very rarely happened, if 

 e\ei-. But it took a great deal of valuable time. I give here- 

 with the plan, which I think an improvement : 



When a swarm issues and returns, it is ready for treatment 

 immediately ; although usually it is put down in my memoran- 

 dum of work to be done, and the time set for it may be the next 

 day or any time within five days, just as suits my convenience. 

 The queen is caged at the time of swarming, and left in the care 

 of the bees, as already mentioned. 



Within the five days, I take off the super, and put most of 

 the brood-combs into an empty hive. Indeed, I tnay take all 

 the brood-combs, for I want in this hive all the combs the colony 

 should have. In the hive left on the stand, I leave or put from 

 one to three frames, generally two. These combs must be sure 

 to have no queen-cells, and may be most safely taken from a 

 young or weak colony having no inclination to swarm. The 

 two combs are put in one side of the hive, two or three dum- 

 mies placed beside them, and the rest of the hive left vacant. 



The question may be asked, " Will not the bees build comb 

 in this vacant part of the hive? " No ; at least they do not for 

 me. Queenless colonies are little given to comb-building, and 

 not at all inclined to make a fresh start in a new place. 



