§ XV.] CHESHIRE'S NUCLEUS HIVE. 197 



In the award at the Philadelphia Exhibition, sj^ecial notic 

 of commendation is recorded of our honey-extractor. 



§ XV. CHESHIRE'S NUCLEUS HIVE. 



The object of nucleus hives is explained below in the 

 section on " Queen Rearing " (Chap. V. § vii.), and they 

 render services in the process of artificial swarming, in 

 maintaining a supply of young mothers, or in Italianising 

 an apiary. Mr. Cheshire's contrivance is as follows : 

 Certain frames in a regular hive are made to consist of 

 two half-frames, each complete, but joined together in 

 the top bar by a tongue in the one portion which fits 

 firmly into an opening in the other, thus forming an 

 ordinary frame except for the division down the middle. 

 When a royal cell has been formed upon one of these 

 compound frames, such frame is taken out of the hive, 

 and the twin portions are then placed side by side in the 

 nucleus, which measures only three and three-quarter 

 inches wide inside, nine inches deep, and seven and a 

 half from front to back. Its sides are constructed double 

 in the same way as those of the Cheshire frame hive 

 (page 145). In the nucleus hive it is necessary for the 

 frames to be well covered up. Care must be taken that 

 the queen was not upon either of the nucleus frames, but 

 the other bees may be retained upon it. The older ones, 

 however, will be sure to return to the stock hive, and 

 their place must be supplied by shaking young ones off 

 other frames on to a board in front of the nucleus. 



