MANIPULATING. 73 



Another point to be observed in rearing queens is the desir- 

 ability of selecting mothers from colonies whose character of 

 amiability is well marked. Often colonies will be so vicious 

 that it is very unpleasant even for an adept to handle them ; from 

 such queens should not be reared, as the irritability of the 

 mother seems usually to be developed in her progeny. 



From the foregoin'g it is seen that it is much the best plan to 

 have the queens mated with selected drones, as well as reared 

 from special mothers. To accomplish this, we must so arrange 

 the time of departure of the queen on her wedding flight that 

 the selected drones only are flying at that time. Among the 

 different plans for so doing none have been, up to the present, 

 introduced that fulfil all the conditions necessary to ensure success. 

 Causing a colony to raise drones before other colonies have done 

 so is frequently advocated. We can always ensure a colony rearing 

 queens, but not so drones. We must begin by stimulating a 

 strong colony (see " Feeding," pars. loi and 102) very early, and 

 when the hive is crowded with bees, a frame containing drone- 

 comb is inserted in the middle of the brood-nest ; the queen will 

 then most likely lay drone-eggs in it. In twenty-five days there 

 will be drones in the hive ; these ought to leave their cells about 

 the middle of April, or as much before that time as possible. 

 Feeding must be kept up all the time they are in the hive, until 

 the honey-flow sets in, or very likely they will be killed by the 

 bees. When the drones are on the point of emerging from their 

 cells, another hive, which has been stimulated in the same 

 manner, is deprived of the queen, she being given to a hive that 

 has an inferior one. The bees will at once commence to raise 

 queen-cells ; but if they are allowed to do so without any assist- 

 ance from the bee-keeper, they will so arrange them on the comb 

 that they will be most difficult of removal without damage. In 

 handling a queen-cell the greatest care must be taken, as the 

 occupant is exceedingly tender; it should always be handled by 

 the piece of comb left attached when cutting it out of the comb. 

 In order that the cells may be built in positions as the bee- 

 keeper desires, a new comb is obtained, and placed in the middle 

 of the brood-nest of a hive from which it is wished to raise queens. 

 In about three or four days this is removed; it will then be found 

 partially filled with eggs. Quite in the middle of these eggs 

 an oblong hole or holes are cut, not less than an inch deep ; 

 these are so made that along the top edge a row of cells is left, 

 having eggs or very young larvas in them. Every other one of 

 these eggs or larvae must be destroyed, by twisting the end of 

 a lucifer or drugget-pin against the bottom of the cell, and those 

 cells with eggs that are left should be enlarged at their entrances, 

 by means of a small cone pushed gently in. The row of cells 

 on the reverse side of the comb must have all the eggs or larvae 

 destroyed. The effect of these proceedings is as follows : 



