BEE CULTURE, 67 
pared cages with the honcy, as above. Suspend one of the 
cells in each of the cages. Good care should be taken to have 
the best cells, and not injured by bruising, handling or jarring. 
Having thus supplied each cage of the nursery with a queen- 
cell and food—the food is thus supplied that the young queens 
may not starve if the bees do not feed them, a thing they 
often fail to dowhen there is a scarcity of honey in the flowers. 
The nursery cages so prepared are adjusted in the nursery 
frame. Then having removed a centre comb from a strong 
black colony, the queen-nursery may be placed into the vacancy 
made by the removal of the comb, there to remain until the 
queens are hatched, which will be in 3 or 4 days, if the cells 
were not cut from the combs too early, or before the 9th day. 
When the queens have emerged from the cells, remove the 
cage and introduce the caged queen to a black colony, libera- 
ting her on the next day about sundown—if necessary, spray- 
ing the bees with perfumed water by the atomizer (Fig. 37). 
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Fie. 42.—Queen-Registering Slate. 
To remember dates every one has not the faculty, and yet 
all the operations of queen-rearing require that it should be 
done. For instance, the time when a choice colony was made 
queenless, to have queen cells started—the time these cells 
are given to the nuclei—the time of hatching—when the 
queens commence to lay, &. To save time and trouble in 
remembering these and other dates, a small slate (Fig. 42), 
3x4 inches, with a hole in the center of the top, should be 
hung on the hive by a small nail with all these dates written 
thereon. A printed card tacked on to the inside of the cap 
is used by some to advantage, in keeping track of such dates. 
If the dividing of colonies be neglected, or if it is not 
desired to practice that method of increase, the bees will 
become greatly crowded for room, and will necessarily 
SWARM. 
For some days before swarms issue the bees may be seen 
clustering at the entrance of their hive, though some come 
