146 QUEENS. 
night. It will also be necessary to smoke them more 
thoroughly at that time. Although most safe, this mode 
of introducing queens is not altogether desirable. I 
would prefer to lose one queen in five, and introduce as 
soon as the old queen is removed, rather than leave the 
hives queenless the stated time, and lose none. If it is 
found necessary to change queens in hives that are being 
extracted at intervals, it may be done easily and success- 
fully. Ata time when the bees are gathering honey in 
‘nost profusion, and the combs are frequently extracted, 
the bees will be most completely demoralized, and gen- 
erally gorged with honey. I have had no trouble in tak- 
ing away the old queen at such times, and installing a 
new one in her place. Some introduce a queen by put- 
ting her in a cage, and tying a piece of thin muslin over 
the open end, or by using comb for a stopper, which the 
bees will bite away, and thus affect her release. Others 
construct a cage of different proportions, leaving one side 
open, instead of the end. Then a hole 1s made in a comb 
filled with honey, by thrusting a knife through, turnmg 
it around, and withdrawing it without removing any of 
the comb. The queen is then confined to one side of the 
comb -by placing the cage over her, and crowding 1t 
against the comb. The bees will clear the opening and 
release the queen. I have practised this method success- 
fully, but, as a rule, I would prefer releasing her from 
the cage, instead of allowihg the bees to do it. In all 
cases, an examination should be made at a suitable time 
to become assured of her safety. 
When it is desired to Italianize native stocks, it 1s 
simply necessary to remove the native queens, and intro- 
duce Italians. In twenty-one days, the young Italian 
bees will begin to appear, and in six or eight weeks, in 
the busy season, the natives will all disappear. 
