90 ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



the "mating' grounds," no robbing occurs, even thoug-h there be a 

 dearth of honey. Open air feeding could also be employed to 

 advantage in such a location. 



It will be seen that by this system there are never any perma- 

 nent nuclei. A tiny cluster of bees is used to secure the mating: of 

 one queen, then the bees are shaken out (in front of the hive from 

 w^hich they were taken if the operator cares to take the trouble ), and 

 the boxes tilled with a fresh lot of bees. 



With all of the advantages of the "baby nucleus" system, there 

 is one serious drawback, and that is of the nuclei being robbed at 

 a time when no honey is coming in. During a honey flow, or if the 

 nuclei are in an isolated location, this system is well-nigh perfection, 

 but, under other conditions, the old-style, well-stocked nuclei have 

 their advantages. It might also be added that while the old-style 

 nuclei require more bees, they can also be managed with less labor 

 after they are once established. I certainly consider the old system 

 of sufficient importance to describe it. 



In the first place, let me say that nothing is gained with any 

 system by beginning queen rearing too early in the season. Wait 

 until the weather is warm and settled and the colonies populous. In 

 this latitude, May 10th is, as a rule, early enough to start queen 

 cells. The first nuclei that are formed should be more populous 

 than they may be used later in the season. Three combs are none 

 too many to use at first; later these nuclei majr be divided. About 

 three or four days before the first batch of queens are to hatch, 

 enough colonies should be made queenless to furnish bees for the 

 nuclei, as queenless bees adhere much better to a new location. 

 Many of the old bees will return, but, as most of the brood is sealed, 

 enough bees (if they are queenless) will remain. When making up 

 the nuclei, if the bees have been queenless, I would give each nucleus 

 a cell nearly ready to hatch, or else a young queen, at the time of 

 making the nuclei, as it seems to be something of an inducement for 

 them to remain in the new location. As many bees return to the 

 old stand, I leave some brood and honey in the hive, also put in some 

 empty combs, and give the bees a laying queen. This colony soon 

 builds up and prospers. 



When a queen begins laying, she is allowed to fill the combs with 

 eggs before shipment, then if a young queen is introduced soon after 

 her removal, the nucleus receives another "sitting" of eggs in ten 

 days more. By this management all nuclei are kept well supplied 

 with brood. 



When honey is coming in freely I have lost few queens by allow- 

 ing them to run into the nuclei at the same time that the laying 



