FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



259 



laying queen would be able without any assistance, if 

 started on that date, Aug. 6, to build up into a colony 

 strong enough to winter. I said that would be asking 

 too much, and we would put the matter to the test. So 

 two frames of brood with adhering bees were put in a 

 hive on a new stand, and two days later a laying queen 

 was given. The two frames of brood were rather better 

 than the average, for I wanted her to see that even with 

 an extra chance it was too late in the season for any such 

 growth. I don't know whether she watched that colony 

 on the sly or not, but I did. Looking at it every few 

 days, I could see no gain — if anything it grew weaker. 

 Then I thought I could see a little gain, and in twelve 

 days from the time it was started the two frames of 



Fig. 92. — Improved Miller Queen-Cages. 



brood had increased to two and a half. Five days later 

 there were three brood, and from that on it walked right 



