ITALIAN BEE8. 119 



Bhall insure success in rearing them even by the inexperienced 

 bee-keeper. "We are aware that general rules have been given, 

 and many nice things written, yet the practical part, upon 

 which success depends, is understood by but few. "We have 

 already given directions for rearing queens to Italianize au 

 apiary, but when desirous of engaging in their extensive proj a- 

 gation, the following course should be pursued. Having Ital- 

 ianized your own apiary, and all your neighbors' stocks within 

 about three miles, you are fully prepared to commence the 

 business of queen rearing. 



SMALL COXES FOR THE NUCLEI. 



The small hives or nuclei boxes should be made about six 

 inches square inside, and the same in depth below the rabbets, 

 which should be three-fourths of an inch deep. The frames, four 

 in number, are suspended upon these rabbets, their top bars 

 being narrow, the same as the side and bottom bars. The mov 

 able cover should be an inch larger than the top of the box, and 

 clamped to prevent warping. Listing, or strips of woolen cloth, 

 should be tacked all around on the under side of the cover, near 

 the edge, to fit upon the top of the box and confine the heat 

 generated by the bees. Before nailing the box together, a 

 rabbet, five-eighths deep and two inches wide, should be cut 

 across the inside of the back, and a piece tacked on the lower 

 edge to hold in the tin feed trough. One end of this rabbet 

 must be filled up and the other end covered with a flap screwed 

 to the outside of the hive. 



This flap is to be turned to admit of drawing out and filling 



Note. — We now use only large hives for queen rearing, having discarded the 

 small boxes. 



