158 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



well filled with combs, take out one or two combs 

 containing eggs and unsealed brood or larva, replacing 

 them with empty frames; place these combs in the 

 nucleus, first removing the frame covered with cloth, 

 as before directed, and place it in the space next to 

 the comb. This should only be done when there are 

 enough bees in the nucleus to cherish and mature the 

 brood. They frequently become quite strong within 

 a few days after being formed, by a large amount of 

 young bees maturing and emerging from the combs. 

 If the embryo queen first given to the nucleus when 

 formed, should fail, they will have a fresh supply of 

 eggs from which to rear another. 



When artificial swarms, or nuclei, are made in any 

 manner, care should always be taken to have a fair 

 supply of honey and bee-bread, or pollen, in each 

 one ; without it, they will certainly fail to meet the 

 expectations of the apiarian. 



HOW TO STRENGTHEN ARTIFICIAL SWARMS. 



When the brood has emerged from any one comb 

 in the nucleus, or artificial swarm, or any hive destitute 

 of a fertile queen, take it out, carefully brushing off 

 all the bees into the hive ; open a hive that has a 

 fertile queen, take out one or more combs containing 

 brood and eggs, brushing off" all the bees into their 

 own hive. Exchange the combs, putting those con- 

 taining eggs and brood into the young colony, which 

 will augment their numbers rapidly, by the young 

 bees emerging soon after the exchange of combs; 

 thus a colony from being very small and weak, can 



