FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 229 



not believe a larva three days old is as good as a younger one. 

 The only reason I have for so believing is the expressed pref- 

 erence of the bees themselves. Give them larvae of all ages 

 from which to select, and they always choose that which is two 

 days old. or younger. Indeed, it will be seen that in the comb 



Fig. Si. — Womfni's Bee-Dress. 



from which I have trimmed the edge (Fig. 89) the larvae on the 

 edge of the comb have been out of the egg but a short time, for 

 I merely trimmed away the eggs, and possibly not all of them. 



PLACING THE BREEDING-COMB. 



The breeding-comb, thus properly trimmed, is taken to the 

 queenless colony, and put in the vacancy that was left for it. 

 On the top-bar of the frame is penciled the date on which the 



