5 
About sundown on the ninth day after this, tor 
each hive to be colonized, take two or three frames 
of hatching and adhering bees from as many differ¬ 
ent hives and confine them, properly ventilated, in 
the back part of each hive to be colonized, and 
at the same time carefully give them one of the 
sealed queens. Near sundown on the second day 
after this, liberate these bees, and as soon as the 
young queens commence laying eggs, and all other 
coiyiitions are right, colonize the bees. If the 
bees forming the nuclei are all taken from one hive, 
then form this nuclei about one day before giving 
them the sealed queen. Queens sometimes hatch 
on the tenth day, reared from larva six days old. 
In the evening, soon after sundown, is the best 
time to form nuclei or unite bees of different colo¬ 
nies. When robber bees are troublesome, late in 
the afternoon is the most favorable time to open 
hives, remove honey, transfer combs, colonize the 
bees, etc. At such times, before opening the hives, 
it is often best to take them into a room where the 
robbers cannot find them. 
To rear drones early, select populous colonies 
and place empty drone combs in the central part 
of the hive. This should be done about two weeks 
before commencing to rear queens, which should 
be begqn three weeks before the time for colo¬ 
nizing. Feeding, when honey is scarce, will favor 
the production of drone brood. 
To avoid rearing drones, use the drone combs for 
surplus honey, or remove them from the hive. 
Drone brood may be destroyed with the sharp 
point of a knife, and the eggs and young larva .by 
cold water. To prevent the worker bees from kill¬ 
ing the drones at any time, transfer the drone brood 
