N u
June 17th 1852 
Nucleus system. Use nucleus either to build upon by giving comb
with mating young, or to stand in place of moved stock. 
Nucleus formed from dividing up a natural swarm, or from imprisoning
bees with eggs of workers for a few days, have not yet tested the last. 
15th If nucleus be used to build upon then wait till Queen nearly
hatched, it may be built upon by brood maturing taken from other colonies,
this saves moving, and does not stop work, the spaces left by taking
away comb, stimulates the colonies deprived, working so much comb keeps
them rather [illegible] of honey and gives more room for brood. If shut up nuclei
will answer this the most certain and rapid of all methods to increase
colonies. 16th new plan, take away Queen from a strong stock temporarily
when royal cells fairly started, lift out to form nuclei, do it towards
night, have a generous allowance of bees, if it will answer better still. 
Or try lifting out comb with brood and plenty of bees and see if in this
way a nucleus can be secured. 
June 25th take half comb, bees and Queens for a new stock, [illegible]
put sealed Queen to the other half, try [illegible] space between them. 
June 29th 
June 29th. Two apiaries best if very rapid multiplication of colonies is an
object. Form nuclei by putting bees to brood comb, let them be bees
driven from an old stock, full of drones, carry the nuclei to a new place,
half mile distant, when Queens impregnated, use them to make other colonies. 
July 2nd. Take comb containing maturing workers with bees upon it, with eggs
and or sealed Queen cell or both, shut up with water for a day or two, if the old
bees desert, the young ones just hatched will adhere. I think I have got it. 
If nucleus to be formed by [illegible] bees [illegible] to the comb to aid in the matter. 
July 7th. Think it best not to give sealed Queen to nucleus until they have
begun to rear artificial Queen, fear that they destroy them, if rapid multiplication of colonies an object
the stocks relied on for building up nuclei must never be so weakened that they
are not able to carry on comb building rigorously. 



