52 
On Ratio7tal Bee-Keeping. 
penetrate unnecessarily into the corners of the 
wooden hive, or into the interior of the pro- 
jecting part of the straw hive. 
The bees will hasten to fill the lower hive. 
As soon as they have done so, remove the 
straw hive, turn it over with care, and after 
having scraped off the plaster which clings to 
the sides, make sure that the combs contain 
brood, and moreover brood which is not more 
than three days old. Unless this is the case the 
bees will not be able to make a queen. Place 
this hive on a floor-board, at some distance 
from the lower hive, which remains in its old 
place. Your swarm will thus be made; for in 
whichever of the two hives there is no queen, 
the bees will hasten to construct a good number 
of royal cells, and at the end of from eleven to 
fifteen days, the division, which before had no 
queen, will now be provided with one. 
As the bees of the hive, or rather compart- 
ment, which has been removed to a distance, 
will not gather any honey for several days, or 
work in any manner away from home, they 
should be provided with some water in a small 
wooden trough for three or four days. This 
trough should be put under a super placed on 
