102 Texas Depabtment op Agriculture. 



honey and adhering bees, and putting these into a new hive on a 

 new stand. A ripe queen cell should be given, or, better, a laying 

 queen, as it is not advisable to permit any but very strong colonies 

 to rear queens. Besides, the nuclei will progress much more rap- 

 idly, as no time is lost waiting for a new queen to be reared. 



A few bees shaken from three or four combs from any strong col- 

 ony and placed in a hive supplied with two or three combs of hatch- 

 ing brood and honey, and provided with a queen, or ripe queen cell, 

 will build up to a strong colony, if properly cared for. These little 

 colonies should be helped from time to time by adding to each a 

 comb of hatchdng brood and honey, or they may be helped by feeding 

 them, if necessary. Properly handled, such nuclei will not only be 

 strong enough for the winter, but may gather some honey before the 

 season is over. 



When conditions are favorable and there is ample time in which 

 the colonies may be built up sufficiently for the honey harvest, all 

 strong colonies may be divided equally and two colonies made of 

 each one. One-half the combs, bees and brood are placed in a new hive. 

 The remaining space is filled up with frames containing full sheets 

 of foundation. The old hive with half the combs, bees and the queen 

 are now moved to a new place in the apiary. The new hive is set 

 on the old stand and may rear a new queen, or better, have one sup- 

 plied to save -loss of time. 



One of the best forms of increase is that secured by shaking or 

 "swarming" the bees artificially, as already described under "Swarm 

 Prevention." In this way the number of strong colonies can be 

 easily doubled. If only one-third increase in number is desired, 

 most of the bees from two colonies standing close together may be 

 shaken in front of a new hive, placed about midway between the two, 

 and the old colonies removed to new stands. 



MAKING RAPID INCREASE. 



Bees may be rapidly increased by dividing each strong colony into 

 a number of nuclei. This is accomplished by putting one comb of 

 brood, honey and bees, together with a comb of honey taken from 

 some other colonies, in each of as many hives as there are such combs 

 to supply them with, thus allowing them to build up into strong 

 colonies. If possible, a caged laying queen should be given to each 

 division, except the one having the queen of the original colony, as 

 this helps them to build up much more rapidly. Otherwise ripe queen 

 cells should be given. 



If such colonies are deprived of their queen a few days previous 

 to the division, better results will be obtained, as queenless bees will 

 remain, when placed on a new stand, much better. 



One of the best methods for securing these results, and at the same 

 time, excellent qUeen cells for making rapid increase, is to collect 

 eight of the best combs of hatching brood from a number of strong 

 colonies and place these in a ten frame hive, so that a space will be 

 left between the combs in the center of the hive for another comb. 

 This comb is supplied from one of the best colonies in the yard, from 

 which queens are to be reared. It is previously prepared by placing 



