BEE CULTURE, 65 
When the nuclei colonics are formed, put them away in 
the shade, and in two or three days the Queen will be 
hatched, and a week or ten days later will become fertilized, 
and be laying; this may be readily discovered upon exami- 
nation. Now the apiarist is ready for the formation of 
new colonies, without the inconvenience of natural 
swarming, by 
DIVIDING THE COLONIES. 
Bees swarm because it is their natural manner of increase. 
By dividing them we secure the increase without swarming, 
and save time in watching and hiving natural swarms. 
This, however, must not be overdone. The beginner some- 
times imagines that by dividing he can make almost any 
number of colonies from each one, forgetting that strong 
colonies are the only ones that accomplish anything. 
Dividing should never be done unless the colony be very 
populous, and can well spare the bees andcombs. To more 
than dowbdle the number of colonies each season is not good, 
unless increase is desired at the expense of honey. 
Some divide their strong colonies equally, or nearly so, 
earefully looking for the Queen, putting her into the new 
hive, placing bees and brood in the centre, filling up with 
frames coutaining comb foundation (Fig. 69), removing the 
hive with the Queen to a new location ; leaving the queen- 
less colony on the old stand, to rear for itself a Queen from 
the brood it possesses. Ifthe Queen be a choice one, and it 
is desired to get Queens from her, itis a good plan to get 
the queen-cells started for the nuclei, as before described. 
Ordinarily, we prefer the nucleus plan of multiplying 
colonies. Take one of the nucleus hives before described 
(which should be of the same pattern and size as those to 
be divided), and remove the division-board. Then take a 
frame containing brood and adhering bees from each 
colony, placing them into the nucleus until it is full. Be 
sure not to take the queenaway from any colony. The bees 
that will hatch out in a few days will make that nucleus a 
populous colony. Put a frame nearly filled with comb 
foundation (Fig. 69) into each hive from which the frame 
of brood was taken, and in a few days they will have this 
all worked out into beautiful comb ; and, in all probability, 
filled with eggs. 
