TO MAKE BEES PROFITABLE. 219 



out of some hive having a fertile queen, with eggs 

 and young larva in it, and give it in exchange for 

 one of their empty brood-combs. This will place the 

 means in their reach to rear another queen, in case 

 the previous one failed. It can only be done success- 

 fully in a movable comb hive. 



If bees swarm naturally, and the hive has been 

 examined and the surplus embryo queens removed 

 to prevent after-swarming, as directed on another 

 page, let them stand for a period of from twelve to 

 eighteen days from the casting of the swarm, and 

 then examine. Most of the brood will have matured 

 and left the cells, the old queen having led (she inva- 

 riably does) the first swarm. The young one left to 

 supply her place not yet being fertile, the combs will 

 be found empty, or nearly so. A considerable time 

 may and generally does elapse before the young queen 

 becomes fertile, and is able to replenish the combs 

 with eggs; hence much valuable time is lost. To 

 remedy this and keep all rearing brood to the best 

 advantage, adopt the plan as directed under the head 

 of "How to strengthen artificial swarms." Simply 

 change those combs from which the brood has 

 emerged, where the colony is destitute of a queen, 

 with a colony that has a fertile queen, and the 

 combs well stored with brood, eggs, &c. being very 

 careful to brush off all the eggs from each before 

 making the change, lest both the queens should be 

 put in the same hive. Care should also be observed 

 that no colony has more brood than they can keep 

 warm and rear properly. 



