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age of considerable extent of each. In Europe, rape, which be- 
longs to the same family as mustard, is a honey-plant of great im- 
portance. It is possible that mustard would be equally important 
if it were cultivated to the same extent. As to quality, Root’s “A, 
B, C and X, Y, Z of Bee Culture” says: "The honey from these 
plants is said to be very light, equal to any in flavor, and to com- 
mand the highest price in the market.” 
Nectar. — Q. The bee gathers nectar from the flowers, which, 
nectar, after undergoing a chemical process in the bee, becomes 
honey. Is not nectar dumped into the comb, then evaporated and 
becomes honey? 
A. No; if you were to gather nectar and put it in cells it 
wouldn’t be honey, and if the bee were to dump the nectar into 
the cells just the same as it gets it from the flowers it wouldn’t 
be honey. It must undergo a change in the bee, although that 
change may continue afterward. 
Noise and Bees. — Q. Would the noise made by moving the 
bee-yard bother the bees any? Does noise of any kind bother 
bees? 
A. Noises in general do not trouble bees, but jarring will irri- 
tate them. 
Nucleus. — Q. Please explain the meaning of the word nucleus. 
A. A nucleus is a baby colony. Just when a nucleus becomes 
large enough to be called a colony is not easy to say. Perhaps I 
might say it should be called a colony when it has more than 
three combs covered with bees; this in summer-time. In the 
tpring plenty of colonies have only two or three combs covered 
with bees. 
Q. Would a Danzenbaker hive answer as well as a Langstroth 
for a nucleus hive? I use a Danzenbaker altogether. I thought 
I would use three frames in each compartment and cut a hole 
one-half by two inches in the bottom part of the hive for the mid- 
dle, as the frames are closed-end frames, and I cannot put the 
entrance anywhere else. The outer compartments will be the 
same as described in “Fifty Years Among the Bees.” 
A. Yes, if you are using the Danzenbaker hive, use it for 
nuclei also. 
Q. Does “baby nucleus” mean simply an ordinary hive with a 
few frames, or a small hive full of frames? 
A. The term usually applies to a nucleus in a small hive, 
with one or two very small frames. 
Q. If you had some old nuclei you wisher'i to strengthen by 
