RAISING AND INTRODUCTION OF QUEENS. 299 
impels them to make this important preparation for 
cell-building.’’ 
Everything being now in readiness, we visit 
I the hive in which the breeding queen is kept, and 
! take from it the middle comb placed there four days 
previously. We find in the bottom of the cells a 
I white, almost invisible, transparent larva, just hatched, 
and already floating in a tiny quantity of food. 
Taking this comb to the bee-room, which has been 
warmed to prevent the larvae from, being chilled, we 
! cut through each alternate line of cells (see dotted 
lines ab^ cd, ef, Fig. 80), so as to divide the comb 
into strips. These are turned on to their sides (B, 
Fig. 80), on a flat table, and the cells on one face 
(5c) cut down by a thin, keen knife, to within Jin. 
of the midrib ; and then each alternate egg in these 
reduced cells is destroyed, Mr. Alley recommending 
for this work the dipped end of a common match. 
It is inserted to the bottom, twisted between the 
thumb and finger, and the object is accomplished. 
Sufficient room is thus given for large cells to be 
built, and for the bees to work around them, while it 
permits of their being afterwards separated without 
i injury. The strips have yet to be fixed in position. 
Mr. Alley proceeds thus : He has previously cut from 
a broodless comb — a number of which he keeps in 
stock, and devotes to the purpose now explained — 
such a portion as will give room to the strip A, B, Fig. 
81, and the queen-cells to be built. The line of 
section is made convex beneath (see Figure), so that 
the cells should diverge as they descend. A mixture 
I of two parts rosin and one beeswax is heated care- 
