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(3) Only strong colonies, i.e., those in which the bees 'are 

 densely coveiring ten combs, must be utilized as the basis for 

 artificial increase, and obviously only colonies free from any 

 disease must be used. 



Methods of Increase. — 1. Formation of a Nucleus. — As 

 soon as warm weather sets in permanently, one nucleus can 

 be made from each strong colony in the following manner. 

 Open the hive about midday, when the old bees are away 

 foraging, and remove two combsof_brood_ and two of food, 

 together with the adhermg"~y ouhg~!)ees , replacin^TKSffi^'with 

 four frames filled with full sheets of wired worker base found- 

 ation!. It is necessary to have about a quart of^ees, and if 

 this number is not present on the three coniBs^removed, the 

 requisite number may be obtained by shaking the bees from 

 two or three other combs, froim the parent colony into the 

 nucleus. Great care must be taken not to remove the queen 

 with these combs. The two outer combs of the parent colony 

 usually contain the most food and should therefore be 

 selected for use in the nucleus. The combs containing the 

 brood must be placed together between these in the new hive 

 for greater warmth. Close up with the division board and 

 wrap up warmly, and confine the bees in the hive for 48 hours 

 by lightly plugging the entrance with dry grass. During bad 

 weather give a little syrup. Th e bee s in the nucleus upon 

 discovering that they are queenless will rear a queen. If a 

 fertile^queen, virgin queen or a ripe queen ceU is available 

 one or other should be given; this will enable the nucleus to 

 build up much more rapidly. With care this nucleus can be 

 built up into a colony strong enough to winter successfully. 



2. Increasing the Strength of the Nucleus {generally termed 

 Nucleus Swarming). — ^When the queen in a nucleus formed 

 in the manner mentioned in method 1 has been mated and 

 commenced to lay, open the hive on a fine morning, find the 

 queen and cage her on a comb. "When this is accomplished, 

 fill up the hive containing the nucleus with either drawn-out 

 combs or frames fitted with full sheets of wired worker base 

 foundation to its full complement of ten. Transpose a strong 

 stock with that of the nucleus. As previously explained, bees 

 only locate the position of their hive, and not the hive itself. 

 Thus the bees out foraging from the strong stock will return 

 to the nucleus and vice versa. As a result the hive containing 

 the nucleus will become fully populated and sufficient young 

 bees will be left in the old colony to enable it to recover 

 strength rapidly. The queen caged in the nucleus is released 

 after being confined for forty-eight hours. 



About a fortnight after this operation has been carried out 

 each stock will be sufficiently strong to receive a super if 

 favourable conditions have prevailed. 



Artificial increase by the combination of methods 1 and 2 

 is strongly recommended as producing the best results, owing 



