260 THE HIVE AND HONET-BEE. 



remained latent in the Mve. The bees do not usually 

 remove all the putrid matter from the cells, but let some 

 portions remain in the corners after it has become dry, 

 merely covering it with a film of wax or propolis, through 

 which, subsequently, when circimistances favor its action, 

 the virus may ''exert a malignant influence and cause a 

 revival of the disease. Hence, when I do not break up 

 such colonies altogether in Autumn, and transfer the bees 

 to new hives or other colonies with pure combs, I 

 invariably regard them with suspicion, as unreliable, 

 and keep them under strict surveillance at least a year 

 longer. 



" I also us_e these suspected colonies, by preference, for 

 the production of queens with which to supply queenless 

 colonies or start artificial swarms — successively removing 

 from them the young queens as soon as they prove to be 

 fertile or I have occasion to use them. In this way, I 

 make such a colony famish three or four — nay, sometimes, 

 by inserting sealed royal cells, even five or six young 

 queens. But, in such operations, I invariably take the 

 bees and brood for the artificial swarms, from colonies 

 which are unquestionably free from the disease. For this 

 putpose, I select strong colonies having young and 

 vigorous queens, and which are consequently able to 

 furnish the required supplies without any serious diminu- 

 tion of population, when the season is at all favorable to 

 the multiplication of stocks. In such seasons, strong 

 colonies, in good condition, with a vigorous queen in the 

 prime of life, can easily supply brood and bees sufficient 

 for four swarms." — Bienenzeiiung, 1857, JSTo. 4. 



