ARTIFICIAL SWA"5MING. 167 



one of the combs of the hive to which this cell is to be 

 given, cut a place just large enough to receive and hold it 

 in a natural position. If it is not secure, apply, with a 

 feather, a Httle melted wax, where the edges meet, and 

 the bees ■n-ill soon fasten it to suit themselves. 



Unless very great care is used in transferring a royal 

 cell, its inmate will be destroyed, as her body, until she is 

 nearly mature, is so exceedingly soft, that a slight com- 

 pression of her cell — especially near the base, where there 

 is no cocoon — generally proves fatal. For this reason, it 

 is best to defer removing them, untU they are within three 

 or four days of hatching. A queen-cell, nearly mature, 

 may be known by its having the wax removed from the 

 lid, by the bees, so as to give it a brown appearance. 



The forcing of a swarm ought not to be attempted 

 when the weather is so cool as to cUIl the brood ; and 

 never unless there is sufficient light not only to enable the 

 Apiarian to see distinctly, but for the bees that take wing 

 to direct their flight to the entrance of their hive. Bees 

 are always much more irascible when their hives are dis- 

 ^turbed after it is dark, and as they cannot see where to 

 fly, they will alight on the person of the bee-keeper, who 

 will be almost sure to be stung. It is seldom that night- 

 work is attempted upon bees, without the operator having 

 occasion to repent his foUy. If the weather is not too 

 cool, early in the morning, before the bees are stirring, is 

 the best time for most operations, as there will then be 

 the least danger of annoyance from robber-bees. 



To some of my readers, it may appear almost incredible 

 that bees can be dealt with in the summary ways that 

 have been described, without becoming greatly enraged ; 

 so far, however, is this from being the case, that in my 

 operations, I often use neither smoke, sugar-water, nor 

 bee-dress, although I by no means advise the neglect of. 



