258 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



clei were formed June 21, as already mentioned; the last 

 were formed August 23. 



I have gone thus fully into detail, because I believe 

 this plan can be used successfully by any one who has 

 only a small number of colonies and is desirous of in- 

 crease. The first nuclei are formed early enough in the 

 season so that they have more than time enough to be- 

 come strong colonies, and the latest must be formed 

 only in sufficient numbers so that they can be strength- 

 ened up as soon as the queen gets to laying. 



NUCLEUS PLAN OF INCREASE. 



\^'ith nucleus hives for queen-rearing, as already 

 described, it is easy to carry out the nucleus system in 

 the strictest sense. I go to a nucleus with a laying queen, 

 preferring a nucleus with two or three frames, take all 

 the frames with queen and adhering bees, put them in 

 an empty hive, and set the hive on an empty stand. A 

 week later a frame of brood may be added. It will be 

 better if it can be given with adhering bees, and still bet- 

 ter if the bees can be queenless. Still, there is no great 

 danger to the queen in any case, although the weaker the 

 nucleus when strange bees are given, the greater the 

 danger to the queen. A week later on, two frames of 

 brood and bees may be added, and the queen will be safer 

 if these two frames are taken from two dififerent colonies. 

 The colony will then be strong enough to be left to its 

 own devices. 



NUCLEUS niTILDING UP WITHOUT HELP. 



Indeed, it is not necessary to do anything more than 

 to let a nucleus stand without any help in a fair season, 

 if it can stand loii^ ciwitt^h. My assistant is inclined to 

 be quite optimistic in some things, and one August she 

 expressed her belief that a nucleus of two frames with a 



