288 A Modern Bee-Farm 



session of a new queen, within an hour of the removal of 

 their own queen and brood. 



The Loss of Valuable Queens 



has frequently been deplored, and yet the persons 

 attempting the introduction went at it in a most clumsy 

 way, especially when we consider that better and more 

 certain methods were known to them. Valuable or other 

 queens need not be lost if only the most simple precau- 

 tions are taken. For instance, absolute safety can be 

 ensured by removing a frame of hatching brood from a 

 hive, and after shaking off all the adult bees, this brood 

 comb placed in a narrow nucleus box will soon produce 

 many hundreds of young bees who of a necessity will do 

 homage to the only queen they know. The box can be 

 stood in a hot-house for a few days, or hot water bottles 

 can be kept going on either side, and within a week 

 another like comb can be added and full liberty given by 

 placing the nucleus in the permanent hive. Food should 

 be present while confinement lasts, and a supply con- 

 tinued if the weather is not favourable. 



Simmins' Direct Introduction Proved. 



It is only in the ordinary course of human nature that 

 my very successful system of direct introduction should 

 have some envious detractors ; but a more extravagant 

 statement than that made by one bee-keeper can hardly be 

 imagined. It was to the effect that while he admitted 

 " the queens would be safely introduced, they would not 

 lay for many days, and the bees paid them no attention, 

 consequently, in a short time a number were thrown out 

 of the hive." 



In his eagerness to condemn the system he only 

 shewed the more plainly his own ignorance of the nature 



