CON SID ERA TIONS. 1 49 



9. By the system of nucleus-swarming not one of 

 the hives was without a laying queen for more than 

 two days, except the two which were used for rear- 

 ing queen-cells. It was only when introducing 

 Italian Queens to black stocks, that any hive was 

 without a queen even for two days. Only two hives 

 were needed for rearing queen-cells. When just 

 ready to hatch, these cells were ' given to nuclei. 

 Here they hatched. As soon as they were fertilized 

 and began to lay, the nuclei were rapidly built up 

 by help of brood and bees from the strong hives. 

 In this way there was neither hive nor nucleus that 

 was without a laying queen any longer than was 

 absolutely necessary. * 



10. The location of my apiary was most excellent. 

 The willows, soft maples, sugar maples, and apples, 

 gave good early pasturage. The profusion of white 

 clover, linn, buckwheat and other fall-flowers, gave 

 the bees a chance to revel in a wilderness of sweets, 

 in summer and fall. 



11. The weather, for the whole season was good 

 for gathering honey. Cold, rainy days in the spring 

 often make the harvest from apple blossoms almost 

 nothing; too much rain or too much drouth injures 

 the flow from white clover; sometimes, for what 

 reason is unknown, the linn secretes scarcely any 

 honey ; various circumstances often make the fall 

 harvest exceedingly light. But my first year was 

 one calculated to give delight to every bee-keeper- 



