i62 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



or end of March — the two central combs removed and 

 Drone comb substituted. The Queen will fill the cells, 

 and Drones be hatched in due course, by which time 

 young Queens should be ready. If this be properly 

 managed these Ligurians will be the only Drones about, 

 and on the Queens issuing they may probably be mated 

 successfully; but the danger is the Drones and the 

 Queens not issuing or meeting together ; and if the Queen 

 be not impregnated within three or four weeks of her 

 birth she becomes a Drone-breeder. Of course if Queens 

 and Drones be bred from selected Queens, in the 

 autumn, after the natural bred Drones are killed, the 

 same result may be obtained. Drones at this time are 

 best obtained by depriving a hive, when full of Drones, 

 of their Queen, when the former will be suffered to live ; 

 or putting at the head of a stock furnished with Drone 

 comb an unimpregnated Queen who, of course, will 

 breed Drones only. Mr. Cheshire suggests the following 

 plan to increase the chances of pure impregnation : 

 "The nucleus hive being complete, and its selected 

 Queen cell inserted, place it as near as possible to the 

 stock containing the Drones which is desired to mate 

 with the maturing Queen. The Apiarian's wishes in the 

 matter will determine his selection. If the Ligurian be 

 mainly prized for its beautiful markings, the choice will 

 probably fall differently from what it may be if high 

 fertility be chiefly sought. If the hive admit of it, and one 

 nucleus only is available, it may be placed upon the Drone 

 containing stock, making the openings of the two hives 

 face opposite ways ; the Queen being duly hatched and 

 the time for her flight having arrived, he transfers the 

 nucleus late in the evening to a dark room or cupboard, 

 having previously closed the flight-hole with perforated 

 zinc ; the next afternoon being so far advanced that 



