RAISING AND INTRODUCTION OF QUEENS. 313 
in which case, and, perhaps, in most cases, it is best 
to give it in a Doolittle cage (Fig. 79), consisting of 
a truncated cone of wire-cloth, into which the cell 
is dropped. It is now placed between the combs, when 
the two ears supplied to the cage suspend it from the 
top bars of the frames. The sides and base of the 
cell are thus safe from attack, and the queen gnaws 
out in the usual manner. 
When the queens are already free in the nursery, 
they must be introduced to nuclei. Unimpregnated 
queens are less acceptable to colonies than are laying 
mothers, and their introduction is, under ordinary cir- 
cumstances, more uncertain. Mr. Heddon gives his 
experience as follows ;* “ We go to our nursery and 
examine for hatched queens about five times per day, 
going as early and late as we are up, so as to make 
the interval during the night, between examinations, 
as short as possible. We have not, as yet, had a 
queen destroyed. When you find one or more 
hatched, place each in a wire-cloth cage, and carry 
her to one of your previously-formed nuclei. Smoke 
the guards, and, removing the stopper from the cage, 
place the open end at the entrance of the nucleus, 
and let her run in. Just as she passes in, send a 
light puff of smoke after her, and leave the hive with 
your empty cage. 1 think that the less you arouse 
the colony, the surer you are of success. I advise the 
use of no more smoke than to make sure of sub- 
duing the guards. 
“ There has been some discussion regarding the 
best age of the nucleus at the time the young queen 
* “ Success in Bee-culture,” page 30. 
