66 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



young Bees, in all stages of development, that the hive 

 soon becomes as populous as before. 



If it is not convenient to adopt either of the above 

 plans, then let only half the Bees, with the Queen, be 

 driven from the old hive, and if the swarm be placed on 

 the old stand its strength will be increased by desertions 

 from the stock ; enough young Bees will be left in the 

 latter to do the nursing. 



The population will quickly be increased by hatching 

 out, and if no Queen cells are in existence, the Bees will 

 immediately start some, and a Queen will be hatched in 

 from lO to i6 days, according to the age of the larva or 

 egg that has been converted from a Worker to a Queen. 

 If the Apiarian can obtain a sealed Queen cell, or better 

 still, a fertile Queen, supply the hive with it at once, 

 taking proper precautions against the destruction of it 

 by the Bees. This will materially reduce the time during 

 which the breeding ceases. 



To a tyro, it is not easy to utilize surplus Queen cells 

 in common straw hives. A few puffs of smoke blown into 

 the entrance will so quiet the Bees that the hive may 

 be turned up and examined, and Queen cells, being 

 generally on the edge of the combs, are usually easily 

 seen. If it be desired to remove one to another straw hive, 

 it may be grafted into a like position it was removed 

 from, or it may more advantageously be inserted at the 

 top in the feeding hole, taking care the point of the 

 cell be not obstructed, as from there the young Queen 

 will make her entrance into the busy hive. Once let 

 the Bee-keeper master the art of driving, and he will 

 no longer allow his Workers to hang out idle, or risk 

 the loss of a swarm by waiting the pleasure of his 

 Bees. 



Where artificial swarming is carried on on a large 



