8 
propagated the Italian bee for the last twelve 
years. 
To secure the fertilization of queens in confine¬ 
ment, arrange the hive so that the worker bees can¬ 
not interfere with the queens and drones, but so 
they will be kept warm and be fed during confine¬ 
ment. Admit a shaded light, enough to induce 
them to fly without seeing out of the space in which 
they are confined. Confine the queen when four 
days old with drones that are beginning to fly. A 
division board may be kept between them and the 
worker bees during their usual hours of flight when 
necessary, as a means of inducing them to fly. 
They may also have a frame of hatching drone or 
other brood and honey during confinement, as the 
workers do not usually fly before they are a week 
old. 
A good fumigator is often a great convenience in 
controlling bees, and a bee hat also for the protec¬ 
tion of those who are afraid of being stung. To 
transfer the combs and bees from common hives, 
remove the hive of bees out of the way of flying 
bees, putting an empty hive in its place to catch 
the returning bees; invert the hive of bees and 
place a suitable empty hive or box over it to catch 
the ascending bees, and pound the hive stoutly , rap¬ 
idly and unceasingly with mallets, hammers, or 
heavy sticks until the queen and most of the bees 
ascend, which they will do in from five to thirty 
minutes. When the queen ascends, the bees will 
become more quiet. Then return the bees to their 
accustomed place, and after transferring their combs, 
rehive the bees, placing the new hive where the 
old one stood. Do not colonize or divide them un¬ 
til the bees have repaired their combs and have 
