FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 233 



present. So some means must be taken to make sure that no 

 nucleus has for its sole dependence one of these latest cells. If 

 several cells can be afforded for each nucleus, there is little 

 danger they will all be bad. Neither is there great danger if a 

 cell is chosen which is large and fine-looking. Perhaps the 

 safer way is to give the queenless colony a frame with eggs and 

 young brood three or four days after the removal of the queen, 

 and then they will not be obliged to use the old larvae of the 

 other comb. 



PLACING QUEEN-CELLS. 



Two or three frames of brood with adhering bees are tak- 

 en for e^ch nucleus. If one of the frames has a cell or several 

 cells in a good location, well and good. If not, the lack must 

 be supplied. But the cells must be' where they will be sure to 

 be well cared for. They must not be on the outer edge of a 

 comb, with the chance to be chilled, neither must they be on the 

 outer side of the comb, but on the side of the comb that faces 

 the other comb. Any cells that are not just where they are 

 wanted must be cut out. For this purpose I like a tea-knife 

 with a very thin and narrow blade of steel. 



STAPLING CELLS ON COMB. 



A staple, such as is used to fasten a bottom-board to a 

 hive, is used to fasten a cell in place. The cell is placed where 

 it is wanted, then the staple is placed over it, one leg of the 

 staple close to the cell, and the other leg is pushed deep into 

 the comb (Fig. 85). 



MAKING BEES STAY IN NUCLEI. 



Each nucleus is put upon a stand of its own, and the 

 entrance is plugged up with leaves so that no bee can get out. 

 One of the nuclei, however, is left without having its entrance 

 closed, and this is put in the place of the hive which contains 

 the queen, and the hive with the queen is put back on the old 

 stand from which the queen was first taken. The entrances 

 may be left closed until the shrinking of the leaves allows the 

 bees to make their way out, but I generally open them in about 

 twentv-four hours, first pounding on the hive to make the bees 



