36 
cases brood-spreading carried on with care, and accompanied 
by judicious feeding, may advantageously be practised, provided 
that plenty of covering is provided to assist bees to keep up the 
temperature of the brood nest, which must then be maintained 
at a much higher temperature than would suffice in winter. It 
is also necessary to practise brood-spreading when it is desired 
to strengthen a stock which has been hived from a swarm (76), 
or transferred from a skep (87). To ascertain when brood- 
spreading is desirable, gently turn up the back of the quilt so as 
to expose the top bars of the dummy and back frame to view ; 
if the space between them is crowded with bees, brood-spreading 
is necessary. 
If in the early breeding season it is desired to encourage brood- 
raising in order to strengthen the stock, 
90. Method of | the best course will usually be to transfer 
Brocd-spreading. a frame carrying little brood from the out- 
side to the centre of the brood chamber ; 
if, however, an examination of the stock, made by merely turn- 
ing up the back of the quilt without subduing (68) in any way, 
indicates that the bees are crowded between the back frame and 
the dummy, a frame of foundation may be inserted in the centre 
of the brood-nest, instead of transferring a frame of brood. To 
do this, first subdue (68) without using subduing feathers, draw 
back the dummy and all frames behind the centre of the brood- 
nest, so as to permit of transferring or inserting a frame as may 
have been decided on. If a frame of foundation is to be in- 
serted, mark the date on the shoulder of the top bar, smear the 
shoulders with petroleum jelly (75), and place it gently in posi- 
tion, without striking the combs on the adjoining frames ; then 
press the dummy and frames tightly to the front, and replace 
the covers. When spreading brood frames do not place two 
frames of foundation in the brood nest at one operation. In 
ordinary conditions during summer, from seven to ten days may 
be allowed to pass before examining the hive again for brood- 
spreading ; when the bees are crowded between the back frame 
and dummy, a frame of foundation should be given until the 
hive contains the desired number of frames. It is, perhaps, well 
to repeat here the caution already given, that all unnecessary 
examination of brood frames is objectionable, and that the bee- 
keeper should therefore endeavour to combine the operation of 
brood-spreading with any other operation which may necessitate 
the opening of the hive. hen the hive contains the desired 
number of frames, the introduction of more frames of foundation 
may be continued, if there is necessity to do so for the purpose 
of replacing old or badly-shaped comb, or to get rid of frames 
containing an undue amount of drone cells. If any frames are 
found to contain an excess of drone comb, they should be removed, 
unless they contain worker brood, in which case the frames 
should be placed next the dummy, to be removed when the 
brood has been hatched out. Subject to these conditions brood. 
