30 MANUAL OF THE APIAEY. 



in fact, under the most favorable conditions. Cutting off ed.ges of the comb, 

 or cutting holes in the same where there are eggs or larvje just hatched, will 

 almost always insure the starting of queen cells in such places. There is one 

 disadvantage in this course which would not have been true had the bees been 

 left till they prepared to sAvarm : the queens are almost sure to be started from 

 worker larvas two or three days old, yet if left till preparation for swarming was 

 made, the number of queen cells is apt to be very small. We could wait, at 

 quite an expense of time' and after six days cut out all queen cells then started, 

 and insert fresh eggs from our favorite queen, and remedy both evils. If this 

 is deemed best, we can cut out small pieces of comb, containing eggs or larvae 

 just hatched, and insert in holes cut in the brood comb of the colony where we 

 are to rear our queens. Thus we meet every possible requisite for raising the 

 most superior queens. In fact, we exercise a care in our breeding that even the 

 best horse or cattle breeders cannot surpass. In a week these cells are capped, 

 and the apiarist is ready to form his 



NUCLEI. 



A nucleus is simply a miniature colony of bees — a hive and colony on a small 

 scale, for the purpose of rearing and keeping queens. We want the queens, but 

 can afford to each nucleus only a few bees. The nucleus hive, if we use frames 

 not more than one foot square, need be nothing more than an ordinary hive, 

 with chamber confined by a division board (see section on hives) to the capacity 

 of three frames. If our frames are large, then we shall be obliged to construct 

 special nucleus hives. These are small hives, need not be more than six inches 

 each way, that is, in length, breadth, and thickness, and made to contain from 

 four to six frames of corresponding size. These frames are filled with comb. 

 I have for the last two or three years used the first named style of nucleus hive, 

 and have found it advantageous to have about two long hives made, each to con- 

 tain five chambers, each of which is entirely separate from the one next to it, 

 and five inches wide. Bach chamber is covered by a separate, close-fitting 

 board, and the whole by a common cover. The entrance for the two end cham- 

 bers is at the ends near the sanie side of the hive. The middle chamber has its 

 entrance at the middle of the side near which are the end entrances, while the 

 other two chambers open on the opposite side, as far apart as is possible. The 

 outside might be painted different colors to correspond with the divisions, if 

 thought necessary, especially on the side with two openings. Yet I have never 

 taken this precaution, nor have I been troubled by losing queens. They have 

 invariably entered their own apartments when returning from their wedding 

 tour. These hives I use to keep queens during the, summer. In spring I make 

 use of my hives which are prepared for prospective summer use, for my nuclei. 

 IvTow go to different hives of the apiary, and take out three frames for each nu- 

 cleus, at least one of which has brood, and so on, till there are as many nuclei 

 prepared as you have queen cells to dispose of. The bees should be left adher- 

 ing to the frames of comb, only we must be certain that the queen is not among 

 them, as this would take the queen from where she is most needed, and would 

 lead to the sure destruction of one queen cell. I usually shake off into the nu- 

 cleus the bees from one or two more frames, so that, even after the old bees 

 have returned, there will still be a sufficient number of young bees left in the 

 nucleus to keep the temperature at a proper height. If any desire the nuclei 

 with smaller frames, these frames must of course be filled with comb, and then 

 we can shake bees immediately into the nuclei, as given above, till they shall 

 have sufficient to preserve a proper temperature. In this case the queen cell 



