230 FIFTY YBABS AMONG THE BEES 



cells are to be cut out, allowing ten days from thj time of put- 

 ting in. Thus, if the frame be given June 27, the number 7 is 

 put on the top-bar, July 7 being ten days later than June 27. 

 No need to put the month on. Besides giving the date, that 

 figure marks the frame, so I can know at a glance which frame 

 to take out. At the same time a memorandum of this, date is 

 put in the record book to remind me when to cut the cells. 



Some one may ask, " But if you leave nearly all the old 

 brood in the hive, will the bees not start cells on them, with only 





K<HKKINil*««»*ft«(|. 



Fig. S5. — Qiieen-C ell Stapled on Comb. 



the smaller part on your breeding-comb?" So I thought at 

 first, and took some pains (o have no very young brood of the 

 old stock left. But I found upon trial that when I left all the 

 young brood of the old stock, the bees ignored this, at the most 

 starting upon it one, two, possibly three cells, confining their at- 

 tention to the prepared frame I had given. Probably the hard- 

 ness of the old combs and the lack of convenient places in which 

 to build cells con-\ince the bees that it is better to use the soft 

 comb where room is abundant. Of course a cell or two on the 

 old combs can do no great harm, for they will not be used. 



