lUc-liee pnirj in Victoria. 



61 



empty comb into the brood chamber of the colony with the selected queen, 

 because, at a time suitable for queen rearing, sufficient larvae for the pur- 

 pose should be in every hive. To obtain the larvae I cut a piece, four to 

 six inches long and the width of three rows of cells, out of a comb in a 

 suitable place. By cutting it again through the middle row of cells two 

 single rows are obtained. These are fastened with liquid wax cell end on, 

 to a thin strip of wood. The open row of cells is then cut down to half 

 the depth (Fig. i) by means of twirling a wooden match head first into 

 the surplus larvae. Those of the wrong age and any eggs which may be 

 present are removed, leaving as far as possible one larva of the right age 

 in every third cell. These strips of comb are then fixed in gaps cut into 

 a comb and given to queenless bees for 6 to 12 hours to mould queen-cups 

 round the larvae. They are then fitted into an outside brood comb of the 

 superseding colonies. 



2. Queen Cells Grouped in Comb. 



When the cells are sealed the strips may be removed and grouped into 

 a comb, as shown in Fig. 2. This is placed into the super of a strong 

 colony over a queen excluder where they may remain till distributed in 

 cell protectors to nuclei about the tenth or eleventh day after they are 

 started. Started queen-cells may again be given to the colonies which 

 raised the cells as soon as the sealed cells are removed but the brood 

 combs should be examined occasionally for a cell they may be raising on 

 their own account. Three to six cells are all I raise in a superseding 

 colony at a time. When greater numbers are raised they are not so perfect. 

 The thirteen cells in Fig. 2 are on three strips, each from a different 

 superseding colony. ... , . 



The great advantage of this method of queen-rearing is that, having 

 a laying queen in the hive, the bees will not raise the cells given, unless 

 conditions are as they should be. No inferior queens will therefore 

 result. 



