80 
ITALIAN BEES. 
shall insure success m rearing them even by the inexperienced 
bee-keeper. "We are aware that general rules have been given, 
and many nice things written, yet the practical part, upon 
which success depends, is understood by but few. We have 
already given directions for rearing quetus to Italianize an 
apiary, but when desirous of engaging in their extensive propa- 
gation, the following course should be pursued. Having Ital- 
ianized your own apiary, and all your neighbors’ stocks within 
about three miles, you are fully prepared to commence the 
business of queen rearing. 
SMALL BOXES FOB TIIE NUCLEI. 
The small hives or nuclei boxes should be made about six 
inches square inside, and the same in depth below the rabbets, 
which should be three-fourths of an inch deep. The frames, foui 
in number, are suspended upon these rabbets, their top bars 
being narrow, the same as the side and bottom bars. The mov- 
able cover should be an inch larger than the top of the box, and 
clamped to prevent warping. Listing, or strips of woolen cloth, 
should be tacked all around on the under side of the cover, near 
the edge, to fit upon the top of the box and confine the heat 
generated by the bees. Before nailing the box together, a 
rabbet, five-eighths deep and two inches wide, should be cat 
across the inside of the back, and a piece tacked on the lower 
edge to hold in the tin feed trough. One end of this rabbet 
must be filled up and the other end covered with a flap screwed 
to the outside of the hive. 
This flap is to be turned to admit of drawing out and fillinf 
