FIFTY YEAES AMONG THE BEES 169 



when the queen was put up, probably had a good quantity of 

 eggs, and brood in all stages. They now contained none but 

 sealed brood, some queen-cells, and a pretty heavy supply of 

 pollen. Or, it may be that eggs from a choice queen were giv- 

 en, and the queen-cells are to be saved. A goodly number of 

 bees adhere to the two combs and I know of no nicer way to 

 start a new colony than simply to place the hive in a new loca- 

 tion. Or, the bees may be shaken off at the old stand and 

 the combs given to a nucleus which needs them. 



I may remark in passing, that these queenless colonies will 

 produce queen-cells not excelled by those of a swarming col- 

 ony, and not surpassed in excellence by those produced by any 

 of the best plans used by queen-breeders. In short, I do not 

 believe it is possible to have better. It must be remembered, 

 however, that all of them are not of equal excellence. For the 

 bees will continue to start cells for several days, and the last 

 ones started will be from larvse too old to make good queens. 

 You may be able to distinguish these cells by their poorer look, 

 or, if you give the bees several cells, among them at least one or 

 two of the flbttest looking, they will make no mistake in making 

 the proper selection. 



WORKING OP QUEENLESS BEES. 



It may be objected that this keeping bees queenless for ten 

 days makes them work with less vigor. I am not sure but it 

 ought, but I must confess I have had no strong proof of it 

 come directly under my own observation. So far as I could 

 tell, these bees seemed to work just as hard when their queen 

 was taken away as before. In the spring of 1885 one colony 

 was, by some means, left entirely away from the proper rows 

 — some three rods from any other colony. I took it away, put 

 it in proper line, and left to catch the returning stragglers a 

 hive containing one comb, this comb having no brood and very 

 little if any honey. This colony having been a very weak one, 

 very few bees returned to the old spot, but these few surprised 

 me by filling a good stock of honey in the empty comb, before 

 they were put with the rest of the colony. 



Swarms treated on this "putting up" plan often swarmed 

 again, but if they did they were put up again. An objection 



