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DR. MILLER J S 
frame and put them in an empty hive-body. Leave the queen 
with the one frame of brood, and destroy any queen-cells that 
may be on that frame. Fill out both hives with frames filled with 
foundation, or with starters or drawn comb. Put a queen- 
excluder over the hive containing the queen and one brood- 
frame, and set the other hive on top of this. Five days later look 
for queen-cells in the upper stories. If you find queen-cells in an 
upper story, let it stand another five days, and then set it on its 
new stand, giving it a queen-cell from one of the others. It will 
hurry up matters if you can give a laying queen to each. 
Q. When taking the top story off, how many bees should go 
with it? 
A. I think Mr. Alexander took all that were in it. 
Q. Do you consider the above method better than allowing 
natural swarming with clipped queen, or dividing by forming 
nuclei? 
A. No, not for me, and probably not for one in a thousand in 
the North. 
Q. I have three colonies and should like to increase and also 
try Caucasians. Could I take one or two frames from each 
colony, unite them and then introduce a Caucasian queen? Will 
it prevent the mother colonies from swarming? Can you suggest 
a better plan if mine isn’t practicable? 
A. Yes, your plan is feasible. But taking away only one or 
two frames of brood from each colony is not likely to prevent 
swarming, although it will delay, and in a few cases prevent it. 
To fulfill your desire you will do well to follow what is called the 
Alexander plan, varied a little. Wait until the time comes when 
there is danger of swarming. Then put all brood but one frame 
in a second story, leaving in the lower story the one brood and 
queen, filling out with drawn combs or frames filled with founda- 
tion, and pay no attention to where the bees are. Put a frame of 
comb or foundation in the second story to fill out the vacancy. 
Have a queen-excluder between the first and second story. A 
week or ten days later lift off the second story and set it on a new 
stand, destroying all queen-cells, if there are any. Twenty-four 
hours later give to this new colony a laying queen, a virgin, or a 
queen-cell. 
Q. I have two strong colonies of bees; in each hive the brood- 
chamber is a double 10-frame brood-chamber, making 20 frames 
to each. 
Now, I wish to know what is the best way to make '‘increase" 
