ITALIAN BEES. 121 



Each nucleus should have about one quart of bees, which must 

 be closed in, laying a rough board on the top and turning the 

 flap to give ventilation. To prevent them from returning to 

 their old stand, they must remain closed in for about thirty-six 

 hours, when the entrance should be opened at sunset, the venti 

 lator turned, and the regular cover put on to retain the heat. If 

 bees for the nuclei are taken from a natural swarm, or brought 

 from the distance of a mile, they need only be confined until 

 sunset. About three quarts of bees must be left with the old 

 queen in the breeding hive, and it may be necessary to place 

 upon it the cap of the old hive that the bees may recognize their 

 old location and not enter other hives. If queen-cells are at 

 hand, one should be inserted when forming each nucleus ; but if 

 none can be had, leave all the nuclei until the tenth day, when 

 more nuclei may be formed and a queen-cell for each taken from 

 those first formed, leaving but one in each nucleus. Examine the 

 nuclei often after queen-cells are inserted, as some cells may be 

 destroyed or prove worthless and others be needed in their 

 places. As soon as any nucleus hatches its queen, one of its 

 empty combs should be exchanged for a frame of brood in the 

 maggot state from the breeding hive. This will stimulate the 

 queen to make her excursion to meet the drones and prevent the 

 bees from following her, in which case, unless discovered, they 

 would be lost. The brood, if supplied often, will also keep up 

 the strength of the nuclei. It will be found convenient to have 

 a piece of slate or board attached to each nucleus upon which to 

 record its condition. "When a queen becomes fertile, it will be 

 known bv eggs being found in the brood combs. 



