14 
BEE CULTURE. 
hive the bees will be driven into the upper box. When the 
bees begin to run up, the top box may be leaned to one side 
and search be made for the queen, as the bees go up the side 
of the hive. But, if she is not thus found, the hive may be 
set on its stand, and the bees shaken out on a sheet in front 
of it, and hived as when they swarm. The queen may then 
be found as the bees run into the hive. 
Another mode of rearing a queen, is to destroy the queen 
of a hive of natives. Eight days after this open the hive and 
destroy all the queen cells they have started, then give them 
some comb containing brood. From this a number of royal 
cells will be produced to be distributed to other hives in eight 
or nine days. If a movable comb hive is qsed, a comb con- 
taining eggs and larvae from the Italian mhy be exchanged 
for a comb of the qucenless colony; or two or three pieces of 
comb, from three to five inches long, and an inch or more 
wide, containing eggs and laivas. just hatched, maybe in- 
serted in holes cut in the brood combs of the queenless colony 
to receive them, like cap-stones over doors and windows, leav- 
ing a half-inch or more space below them to give room for 
the cells to be built downwards. 
STINGING OF BEES. 
I am asked : “ Do you pretend to say that any person -may 
thus manipulate bees without being stung almost to death ? 
Can bees really fre handled with any degree of safety?” 
I must say, I think no one can handle bees much without 
being stung some; and there are afew whom it hurts so serious- 
ly to be stung, that it is not wise in them to engage in bee- 
culture, at least without being well protected by a bee- 
dress. “ I presume that the man who can close his mouth 
on a handful of bees, or swarm a colony on his face, can 
handle bees with impunity.” No : there is but little differ- 
ence in people’s liability to be stung. There is much in tho 
motions and manner of approaching bees : but a colony once 
enraged will master the most skillful. Tho taking of a box 
of honey unskillfully, or carelessly leaning a hive to one side, 
will occasion more stinging than the most heroic feats iu 
handling bees, when practised with a little judgment. It is 
easier to control a whole colony intelligently, than a single 
bee ignorantly. Stinging is instinctive and necessary to 
these little creatures, as it is a protection against their enemies, 
