FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



239 



ting in. Thus, if the frame be given June 27, the number 7 

 is put on the top-bar, July 7 being ten days later than June 

 27. No need to put the month on. Besides giving the date, 

 that figure marks the frame, so I can know at a glance which 

 frame to take out. At the same time a memorandum of this 

 date is put in the record book to remind me when to cut the 

 cells. 



Some one may ask, "But if you leave nearly all the old 

 brood in the hive, will the bees not start cells on them, with 



Fig. 85 — Queen-Cell Stapled on Comb. 



only the smaller part on your breeding-comb?" So I thought 

 at first, and took some pains to have no very young brood of 

 the old stock left. But I found upon trial that when I left all 

 the young brood of the old stock, the bees ignored this, at the 

 most starting upon it one, two, possibly three cells, confining 

 their attention to the prejaared frame I had given. Probably 

 the hardness of the old combs and the lack of convenient places 

 in which to build cells convince the bees that it is better to 

 use the soft comb where room is abundant. Of course a cell 

 or two on the old combs can do no great harm, for they will 

 not be used. 



