QUEENS. 139 
are to be built up artificially (as hereafter directed), and 
are atready 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. Remove 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-ceils, 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 strengthening, 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 larve 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 larvee 
in just the desired degree of development. Besides, when 
tender combs are used, queen-cells will be more readily 
started, with the chances 1n favor of a larger number. 
Remove 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 necd care at the same time. In eight days 
after the above operation, the combs may be carefully 
lifted out, and the number of cells ascertamed. In some 
instances they will be built so closely together, that they 
can not be separated with safety to all. For instance, if 
