and its Economic Management. 133 



certainly be destroyed. The novice may experience some 

 difficulty in 



Finding the Queen 



to be superseded, and he will certainly do better to leave his 

 queens alone until he gains more experience, unless he is abso- 

 lutely certain that any are actual failing. If he tries any new 

 race, as yet he is hardly capable of forming a correct opinion of 

 them, and the probability is that the natives will answer his 

 purpose best for the first year or two at least. 



In frame hives the fertile queen can generally be found without 

 much trouble, as she is parading the brood combs, the hive being 

 opened with as little disturbance as possible, and the frames 

 gently lifted and examined one by one. If not to be seen there, 

 look well around the edges of the combs, or she may be found 

 on the floor, or at one corner among the bees. An unfertile or 

 virgin queen is often most difficult to find, and at times even an 

 expert bee-keeper would be tempted to say that no queen was 

 there, were it not that the actions of the bees tend to show other- 

 wise. A careful examination will generally reveal her presence ; 

 but failing to find her, when you think there should be one, give 

 the bees a comb of unsealed brood, and if they build queen cells 

 thereon it is certain that no queen is there ; if otherwise, do not 

 risk the life of a valuable queen until the other has been found. 

 With fixed combs the only way is to "drive'' the bees out and 

 catch the queen as she ascends. If that cannot be done, then 

 look well among the deserted combs and the bees clustering in 

 the empty skep. 



INTRODUCTION BY CAGING. 



Procure a cage made of fine perforated zinc i\ inch in 

 diameter, and i inch deep, having one end only closed with the 

 same material. When the queen arrives place her in this cage 

 while yet indoors, slip a thin card under and carry her to the hive. 

 Without removing the frames other than to give plenty of room 

 laterally, slide the cage carefully from the card on to uncapped 



