84 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 
With the plan given, any number of nuclei may ~ 
be joined together, and if there is no choice in 
the queens it is not necessary to remove them. 
The bees will settle that to their own satisfaction 
without any trouble on your part. It is only 
advisable to cage the queen when all the others 
have been removed, to avoid any risk of her 
being damaged. 
When disease exists in a locality it is wise to 
refrain from interchanging brood and bees from 
established stocks, No more colonies should be 
interfered with than is absolutely necessary. In 
making up a nuclei, for instance, if three are re- 
quired, break a colony up entirely, but do not 
make-one from each of three colonies. This form- 
ing of nuclei colonies early in the season is a very 
good method of increase, but care must be taken 
or they will suffer checks, and fail to build up 
sufficiently strong for wintering. They should be 
gently fed when there is no natural supply, and 
carefully protected from robbers. 
Instead of increasing native stocks it will be 
advisable to add to the number of Dutch colonies 
for the present. These Dutch’ bees, while not 
immune from the attacks of Isle of Wight disease, 
have very strong constitutions, and are great 
disease resisters. Unfortunately, just now the 
demand for these bees exceeds the supply, but 
with a cessation of war conditions this would 
probably adjust itself. 
