ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
167 
one of the combs of the hive to which this cell is to be 
given, cut a place just large enough to receive and hold it 
in a natural position. If it is not secure, apply, with a 
feather, a little melted wax, where the edges meet, and 
the bees will soon fasten it to suit themselves. 
Unless very great care is used in transferring a royal 
cell, its inmate will be destroyed, as her body, until she is 
nearly mature, is so exceedingly soft, that a slight com- 
pression of her cell — especially near the base, where there 
is no cocoon — generally proves fatal. For this reason, it 
is best to defer removing them, until they are within three 
or four days of hatching. A queen-cell, nearly mature, 
may be known by its having the wax removed from the 
lid, by the bees, so as to give it a brown appearance. 
The forcing of a swarm ought not to be attempted 
when the weather is so cool as to chill the brood ; and 
never unless there is sufficient light not only to enable the 
Apiarian to see distinctly, but for the bees that take wing 
to direct their flight to the entrance of their hive. Bees 
are always much more irascible when their hives are dis- 
turbed after it is dark, and as they cannot see where to 
fly, they will alight on the person of the bee-keeper, who 
will be almost sure to be stung. It is seldom that night- 
work is attempted' upon bees, without the operator having 
occasion to repent his folly. If the weather is not too 
cool, early in the morning, before the bees are stirring, is 
the best time for most operations, as there will then be 
the least danger of annoyance from robber-bees. 
To some of my readers, it may appear almost incredible 
that bees can be dealt with in the summary ways that 
have been described, without becoming greatly enraged ; 
so far, however, is this from being the case, that in my 
operations, I often use neither smoke, sugar-water, nor 
bee-dress, although I by no means advise the neglect of 
