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Queen Rearing Simplified by Jay Smith

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Transcriber's preface.

This is Jay's first book. For a more evolved (at least from Jay's point of view) approach, see Better Queens by Jay Smith , which was written about a quarter century after this one. This is what he says about Queen Rearing Simplified then (twenty five years after this book).

Queen Rearing Simplified has been one of the most popular queen rearing books of all time written by a man who raised a lot of good queens. It is no longer in print, so I am trying to keep Jay's wisdom alive here. If you find typographical errors or have other comments please email me at the address listed at the bottom of this page. The opinions of Jay Smith do not necessarily agree or disagree with those of the transcriber. Many are obviously outdated by the time of Jay's second book.

I will try to get the the pictures and the index done as I get time.

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Queen Rearing Simplified

THE A.I. ROOT BEE LIBRARY

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This book is dedicated to my full partner - my wife.

Queen Rearing Simplified

By

Jay Smith

Published by THE A.I. ROOT COMPANY Medina, Ohio 1923

Copyright 1923, by the A.I. Root Company

Made in U.S.A.

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Introduction

For several years past there has been a growing interest in Queen-rearing, as more beekeepers are coming to recognize the important part the queen plays in beekeeping. I have been receiving a large amount of correspondence on the subject of Queen-rearing from beekeepers wishing for detailed information on the subject. Their many questions have prompted me to attempt this book, and to explain such points as are not clear to those interested in Queen-rearing.

To assist the honey producer in rearing his own queens is my primary object; but I also describe methods adapted to the amateur as well as the commercial queen-breeder. To the beginner in beekeeping, however I would recommend a careful study of one or more of the following books on general beekeeping before taking up this work; "The A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture" (Root), "Beekeeping" (Phillips), "Starting Right with Bees" (Rowe), "Langstroth on the Honey Bee" (Dadant), "Fifty, Years Among the Bees" (Miller). In addition to bee books one should read all articles in the bee journals by able writers and especially those written by Geo. S Demuth, who is now generally recognized as our highest authority on beekeeping. For a description of different methods of Queen-rearing read Pellet's "Practical Queen Rearing."

I presenting this volume to the beekeeping public, nothing radically new or revolutionary is offered. The system described has been taken from many sources, so it is impossible to give credit to all who have contributed through their books and their writings to our bee journals. More is due to Mr. G.M. Doolittle than any other, for to him we owe the invention of artificial cell cups and the art of grafting.

I shall deal mainly with the successes I have had and not with the failures. I have two reasons for doing this. One is that almost any beekeeper has failures without having to refer to a text-book on the subject; and the second is, that I wish to keep this book within modest dimensions. If I should chronicle all of my failures, a book so voluminous would result that a Webster's Unabridged might look like a vest-pocket edition in comparison.

The object of this book then, is not to present many new methods but to place before the reader, with the aid of the camera, such methods with variations as I have used for twenty-one years, and to describe them in detail so that any one wishing to rear queens can succeed, and, if failure comes, he may refer to this book, and find the cause of it. Many have reported indifferent success with the grafting method of queen-rearing. Upon investigation, it was frequently found they had followed all of the rules laid down with one or two exceptions. These very exceptions brought the failure. I hope this book may be of help to such. Frankly, I do not know whether it will or not. The reader must be the judge. Again, if this little volume interests some overworked business or professional man or woman, and, through it, pleasure and recreation are gained, and he is thus better able to meet some of the harsher things of life, I shall consider my efforts have not been in vain.

Vincennes, Indiana, October 5, 1923. JAY SMITH

[Picture of Apiary]

Queen-rearing apiary of the author.

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD QUEENS.

CHAPTER I

In view of what has been said by the writers in the past, it would hardly seem necessary, if the best results are to be obtained in honey production, to call attention to the importance of having every colony headed by a good, prolific Italian queen.

You will note that I say a good Italian queen. Beekeepers are practically unanimous in the opinion that the Italian bees are much superior to Blacks in nearly all respects. They are better workers, swarm less, are more gentle and are much superior in cleaning out European foul brood. Unfortunately the black bee was introduced into the United States over two hundred years before the Italian, and therefore the Blacks have become pretty well established in all parts of our country. They are now found wild in trees and rocks in every state from coast to coast, and in many parts of Canada. Consequently, one very good reason why the honey producer should rear his own queens is to get rid of the black bees and hybrids.

Every beekeeper concedes the point that each colony must be headed by a good prolific queen, and all writers on the subject have emphasized it in the strongest terms, yet in truth very few of us fully realize the importance of good queens.

Put yourself to this test. When the season is over and you are taking off the honey, notice how much more honey some colonies produce than others. Then get out your pencil and paper, and figure how much money you would have made if all colonies had made as much honey as the best. The results are frequently startling. Then remember that there is positively no one element that contributes to the production of these big yields as much as good young queens. After you have these results tabulated, consider whether or not it would pay you to rear your own queens and become an expert at it, or have some members of the family or firm take up this most important branch of beekeeping.

Our best authorities are agreed that there is not so much difference in the inherent honey-getting ability of the different colonies as there is in the condition of these colonies; that is, they produce large honey crops because the conditions within the hives are ideal. There were plenty of young bees and brood at exactly the right time. These colonies seemed to devote all of their energy to honey-getting. They did not loaf. They did not swarm. They just worked, and these conditions were brought about by the fact that these colonies had good young queens, and not because they had inherited any exceptional traits or were constitutionally superior. That there is a difference in the honey-getting ability of different colonies is not denied; but it is difficult, indeed, to be able to prove that the reason a colony made the largest surplus was due to natural ability rather than to the condition within the hive.

Therefore, it is no easy matter for the honey producer to pick out the best queens, since it may be the opportunity that the queen had, rather than her natural ability. How, then, are you to select your breeding queen? First, be careful to see that conditions are the same in all colonies, and that the queens are of the same age. Then select the queen that has the most desirable qualities, such as prolificness and vigor, and whose bees are gentle, of pure blood, good honey-getters, showing little inclination to swarm.

Years ago I endeavored to breed up a honey strain by simply using as a breeder the queen whose bees produced the largest yield. I found that the honey-getting quality was not in the least improved; but that the bees were getting cross and dark in color. Then I adopted the rule of selecting the largest and most prolific queen whose bees were gentle of good color. I found that better results were at once obtained. Being more prolific, this queen was able to keep the hive full of brood and the bees at the beginning of the honey follow, which is the secret of successful honey production. If this rule is followed and in addition all colonies are requeened from the best, in order to have them as nearly alike as possible in every respect, then we may select as our breeder the one that has the above qualifications and also the one that produces the biggest crop.

Some have reported that a medium-sized queen is as good as a larger one. That has not proved true in my experience, which has been that the larger the queen, the better. A queen that is extremely prolific has to be very large in order to contain the necessary number of eggs in process of formation to enable her to lay the four or five thousand eggs per day, which is the performance of a really good queen.

When the virgin emerges from the queen-cells she should be large, long and pointed. In three or four days, she will be much smaller, but extremely active and nervous. After mating she rapidly becomes larger until she is twice her former size. The abdomen becomes long and broad near the thorax, gradually tapering to a point. Short, blunt queens are inferior.

We must always bear in mind that, no matter how good our equipment, how well we pack for winter, how generous are the winter stores, and how abundant the nectar in the blossoms, our efforts will bring only failure if we do not have a good queen in the hive.

CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE BEES REAR QUEENS

CHAPTER II.

In order to rear queens successfully we must study the conditions in the hive under which bees rear their own queens. There are three of them known to beekeepers as the Emergency Impulse, Supersedure and Swarming.

In nature it sometimes happens that a colony suddenly loses its laying queen. Perhaps, as on very rare occasions, the queen, while laying, dies before the bees have time to supersede her in the regular way. The inmates of the hive at once realize they must meet this emergency, and immediately go to work to rear another queen. Fortunately, nature has made it possible for them to produce one from the larvae of eggs already in the hive. They, therefore, choose a number of worker larvae and begin to feed them lavishly with predigested food known as royal jelly. They usually fill the cell with this until the tiny larva is floated out to the mouth; then the bees build a queen cell over it, pointing it downward. This new cell is frequently over an inch long, and is made larger inside than that of the worker. The bees feed the larva until about five days after it is hatched from an egg, and then the cell is sealed over by them. The larva within spins a small thin cocoon, changes from a larva into a pupa, and in about eight days from the time the cell is sealed the virgin queen gnaws off the cap of the cell and crawls out. For a few hours she is a weak, frail creature, downy and delicate. However, she develops rapidly, and in from two to four hours, realizing she is a queen, she, just as many monarchs in the human family, becomes very jealous of any who may have ambitions to possess her throne. It is interesting to note the events which take place in the hive for the next few hours.

[Picture of destroyed queen cells]

An opening is made in the side of each.

Having in mind the suppression of competition, the new queen roams over the combs. If there are any queen-cells from which the queens have not emerged, she supervises the destruction of them. The workers perform most of the labor under her directions, although she helps as best she can. She begins on the cells whose queens are most mature. She seems to reason these are the ones likely to give her the first trouble. An opening is made in the side of each, and, if the inmate is about ready to emerge, the queen backs down into the opening in the side of the cell and stings her helpless rival. The opening is then enlarged, and the dead queen is carried out by the bees. Other cells are visited and destroyed in turn. However, if there are queen-cells uncapped, these are left for a while, the newly emerged queen seeming to realize that she has plenty of time to handle their cases before they become any menace to her.

Now it frequently happens that, while this young queen is finding herself for the first two hours after emerging, other queens emerge, and several virgin queens will be in the hive at once. They seem to realize they are too young to do any satisfactory fighting, so by mutual consent they avoid each other's society and devote their time to supervising the destruction of queen-cells. However, as they grow from four to twelve hours old, they begin to seek out their rivals with the idea of doing battle. When they meet they clinch, and each tries to get a chance to sting the other. The fight does not last long, for soon one gets in the coveted position to give the fatal thrust of the sting in the thorax of her rival. The vanquished queen quivers a moment, and is dead.

Other "preliminary" fights are staged until only two queens are left. Then the "final" duel takes place, and the victorious queen reigns supreme.

In due time queen-cells in all stages of development are destroyed, and in six or seven or eight days the virgin queen flies out of the hive, meets the drone, and returns to become the mother of the colony, beginning her egg-laying within the next day or two.

A different order of events has been given by others, who state that the first thing a young queen does is to hunt up her rival and fight it out; but I have witnessed the occurrences many times as above described. Indeed, when occasionally grafted cells have been left too long in the hive, upon opening it I have found many queens safe and well, all busily engaged in tearing down cells. I have counted as many as fourteen superintending this work of destruction before any battle had begun. They have been given nuclei, thus saving them.

The most unsatisfactory manner in which bees rear queens is the Emergency method. The bees seem to feel their danger of extinction from having no queens. In their frenzy, a large number of cells are started. To make a bad matter worse, they take larvae that are too old, with an idea probably of rearing some sort of queen in the shortest possible time. (Transcribers note, Jay changed his mind on this later and retracts this in Better Queens) We all know that in satisfactory queen-rearing, the younger the larva used, the better. By this method, the oldest larva chosen is the first to hatch, so the poorest queen in the batch is the one that heads the colony. However, as this is an emergency case, the bees seem to reason that, if this queen is not as good as she should be, they can take their time and rear a good one later on by the supersedure method.

Supersedure Method.

When a queen is beginning to fail from old age or some other infirmity, the bees seem to realize that she can not be with them much longer, so they take steps toward rearing for themselves a new mother. Queen-cells are started, sometimes only one, seldom more than four. In these shallow cups the queen lays eggs. As soon as hatched, the larvae are fed royal jelly, and as they receive the care and attention of the whole colony, good queens are, as a rule, the results. Sometimes the bees seem to wait until the old queen is so far gone that she lays several eggs in a queen-cell which results in the larvae not having sufficient food since they have to share it with their "cell mates." Owing to their being crowded in the cell, such queens are sometimes slightly misshapen. Usually, however, all but one of the larvae are removed before the cell is sealed. Under the supersedure method, however poor queens are rare and, as a rule, the best of the queens are reared. Usually the old queen disappears as soon as the virgin emerges from the cell; but sometimes, mother and daughter live peaceably together, both laying and usually found on the same comb.

Queens Reared Under the Swarming Impulse.

When a colony is preparing to swarm they start a large number of queen-cells in which the queen lays eggs. When the first cell is capped, if the weather is favorable, the swarm usually comes out. As swarming occurs when the colony is at its height of brood-rearing, the larvae are well supplied with royal jelly, so that the finest queens are reared. In rearing queens by any method, we can learn a great deal by carefully studying the conditions of the bees while building cells preparatory to swarming, for we wish to duplicate the performance.

Under the Emergency method, the bees build a large number of cells, but they do not give them the proper attention and skimp the larvae for food. Under the Supersedure method, they give the larvae plenty of food, but usually do not build more than three or four cells. Under the Swarming Impulse, they not only build large numbers of cells but supply the larvae in them lavishly with food. What is the reason for this? Is it because they have the "swarming fever" that induces them to do such good work? I believe not. My observations lead me to believe it is the condition of the colony and, in support of this theory, I have found that as many and as good cells may be built by a colony when not preparing to swarm as by one that is, provided the conditions are the same in all other respects.

What are these conditions? First a honey flow is on or just coming on, for bees seldom swarm at any other time. Second, they are strong in bees, especially young nurse bees. Third, the hive is crowded with brood in all stages; and fourth, the weather is reasonably warm. I believe these conditions enable the bees to rear not only a large number of queens but those of the highest quality. Understand, it is the condition not the swarming fever. As evidence to substantiate this statement, the following fact, which I have observed many times, is given. While having cells finished above an excluder, sometimes the bees take it into their heads to swarm, and as bars of cells are capped the swarm issues. Since the wings of the queen are clipped the bees return, and the queen is helped back into the hive. Removing the bar of cells frequently discourages swarming but sometimes they persist coming out every day or every other day for a week or more as the spirit moves them. I have never been able to see that, while they had this swarming fever, they gave the cells any better attention than before or after swarming. This fact satisfies me that it is the condition of the colony and the honey flow or the feeding that give good results in cell-building.

Under the Grafting method, we endeavor to get all colonies connected with queen-rearing in the condition above described. If we do, we can rear queens every bit as good as those reared under the swarming impulse; (Transcriber's note: Jay later changed his mind on this.) if we do not, inferior queens will result. By examining the cells one can easily tell which of the three methods the bees used in their construction. In the Emergency method, the queen is reared from a larva that has hatched in a worker-cell, so by looking into the bottom of the queen-cell, the worker cell may be seen. In the Supersedure method as well as the Swarming method, the cells are the same. The queen lays eggs in both; but during the swarming, many more cells are built than under the superseding impulse.

QUEEN-REARING FOR THE SMALL BEEKEEPER

CHAPTER III.

There are several methods that may be employed where one wishes to rear but a few queens. Cells, saved from a colony that has just swarmed, may be placed in colonies to be requeened, whose queens have been removed. This is much better than to allow colonies to run along with inferior queens; but, by this method, little progress can be made in improving the stock since when you wish to requeen, your best colony may not be swarming. Consequently, you would have to use cells from an inferior colony. It has frequently been noted that the inferior strains of bees swarm the most. Blacks and hybrids are much more inclined to swarm than Italians.

In requeening by the swarming method, a piece of comb one inch in diameter should be cut out around the cell, using a good sharp knife, and being careful not to injure the cell. A hole of corresponding size should be cut in the comb of the colony to be requeened and the piece containing the cell fitted into it. Where but one cell is on the comb, the entire comb may be placed in the colony to be requeened. If this colony is of medium strength or strong, it makes no difference just where the cell is placed for there will be sufficient bees to give it proper incubation. The bees may be left on this comb or brushed off, but never should be shaken off since the undeveloped queen is almost sure to be injured. In giving a cell to a weak colony or a nucleus, it is important to place it near the center next to the brood. Frequently cells built on the bottom edge of a comb when given to a weak colony do not mature.

A second and very simple method of requeening is simply to remove the queen from a colony, and the bees will construct a number of cells by the Emergency method. Such queens are not, as a rule, as good as those reared under the Swarming or Supersedure Impulse. If care is taken to save only the largest and best cells, however, very good queens can be reared in this way. The principal point to commend in both of the above methods is their simplicity. If one has never reared queens, these will prove very interesting and are a step toward better ones.

The third system requires a little more skill, but will produce cells as good as the best if care is taken to have all conditions right. Go to the colony containing your breeding queen and insert an empty comb into the center of the brood-nest. Leave this there for two or three days or until the queen has laid a large number of eggs in the cells. Remove it, however before the eggs begin to hatch since our object is to get the bees to use very small larvae from which to rear queens.

Next, go to a strong colony and take the queen and all combs containing eggs or brood, but leave with the bees several combs of honey and pollen and give them the frame of eggs from your breeding queen. If it is desired to save this queen, she is given a frame of brood and adhering bees and put into a hive to start a new colony. Fill out the vacant space with combs containing some honey, if possible. If you have no extra drawn combs on hand it is better to take a few from other colonies and in their place give full sheets of foundation, for they will do better work at drawing foundation than would this new colony which is not strong enough for that purpose. The remainder of the brood is used to strengthen weaker colonies or to make strong colonies even stronger for the honey flow as occasion seems to demand.

Having now disposed of the queen and brood, let us go back to our queenless colony. Realizing their queenlessness, the bees will start cells as soon as the eggs begin to hatch. Very frequently by enlarging the worker-cell, they make it over into a queen cell even before the egg hatches. In this manner the newly hatched larvae receive abundance of royal jelly from the very start, which is necessary for the best results. This method has the advantage over the others just described since the bees can not use larvae that are too old for good results. However, it should only be used when there is a honey flow. In about six days after the cells are capped, they should be cut out with a sharp knife and given to colonies to be requeened which have been made queenless. When there are larvae of the proper age at the bottom of the comb, the bees prefer to build cells there, sometimes building a compact row of cells half way across the comb. In such cases some of the cells will have to be destroyed when being cut apart. In giving this comb of eggs to the colony, if there are no eggs at the bottom of the comb, it is well to cut away the comb so that the eggs will be at the edge. This is not necessary, however, for the bees will start plenty of cells if the comb is left intact. As the operation of forming nuclei to receive them, when that is desired, is the same as given under the Grafting method, it will not be described here.

[Picture of queen cells across the bottom]

A compact row of cells half way across the comb.

The Grafting Method.

If one keeps as many as fifty colonies or expects to do so in the future it will pay to learn the grafting method. This requires much more skill and practice than the ones above mentioned; but it has so many advantages over all the rest that it is used by nearly all queen-breeders and extensive honey producers who rear their own queens.

This method is more economical, for it is not necessary to have any colony queenless at any time. You have control over the situation and can rear queens in any quantity desired. It is exact, since you know within a very few hours when any cell will hatch. The artificial queen cups are much easier to handle, for with them it is not necessary to cut up and mutilate good worker combs. Larvae can be taken from your best breeding queen and the stock improved thereby. Last, but not least, the very best queens can be reared, if conditions are kept right. To rear a few queens during a honey flow is a simple matter; but to keep up a steady production throughout the season under variable weather and honey flow is not a simple matter. However, with experience and patience it can be done.

[Picture of Root's apiary]

Root's Basswood Apiary.

REARING QUEENS ON A LARGE SCALE

CHAPTER IV

I thoroughly believe that many beekeepers who have a thousand colonies or more and who do not rear their own queens could increase their honey yield fifty per cent by having a good queen-rearing outfit and being able to use it properly. Moreover, in localities where European foul brood is rampant the honey crop might be doubled or trebled, since there is nothing that eliminates this disease like strong colonies of Italian bees headed by young, vigorous queens.

Headwork.

Some of the most important work that can possibly be done in the winter months is reading bee books and journals, of which we have a goodly supply of the highest standard. Secure all the books you can and take all of the journals. If you do this and carefully study them, it will be the best investment you can make. Read, study and plan in the winter.

We should remember that successful business men work with their heads. They can hire hand work at a low figure; but headwork is always at a premium. A great deal of headwork is required of the successful beekeeper, and much of this work can be done in winter. During the honey flow we are too busy working with our hands to do much headwork. J.S. Knox, the efficiency expert, says that a man is worth $2.50 per day from his chin downward. If he earns more than this, it must come from above the chin. Consequently, he divides men into two classes, "Chin Uppers" and "Chin Downers." If we are successful we must be "chin uppers." For the beekeeper the best time to do his "chin upper" work is in the winter sitting before a comfortable fire, reading, thinking, studying, planning.

Moreover, as there is a great deal of work to be done with the bees during the queen-rearing season, one should plan to do all the work possible in the winter. Nailing up hives and nuclei, painting them, putting in foundation, dipping cells and similar work should be all gotten out of the way before spring comes.

DIPPING CELLS.

CHAPTER V.

Since I know more about the way I rear queens than I do about the way any one else does it. I wish to take the reader with me through the season, while I attempt to show in detail how I rear queens. Possibly, you have methods of your own that you prefer. I do not claim to have a monopoly on all the good things in queen-rearing, but will be content if you find some little feature which I use that you consider worthy of adoptions, and which may be of help to you.

Let us start by dipping cells as this can be done in the winter. Wax is saved from the year previous. For this a solar wax extractor is an important item. During the summer months, many small pieces of comb are found that can be thrown into it. This makes the finest cell building wax. In the nuclei, bits of comb are built and when introducing queens, where a frame is taken out, the bees will construct more or less comb. All these can go into the wax extractor. From the wax extractor, the wax is placed in small molds, for use in dipping queen-cells. I have enough cell bars to last the season, so we always dip sufficient each winter to supply us through the entire summer.

Our cell-dipping outfit contains twenty cell-forming sticks, which work through holes made in two pieces of heavy tin. Metal is much better than wood since the latter swells when wet and the forming sticks do not work freely through the holes. These pieces of tin are fourteen or fifteen inches long, fastened one and one-quarter inches apart to small blocks of wood, which are to serve as handles when dipping the bars into the trays. Each piece of metal is pierced with twenty holes, one-fourth inch apart, and seven-sixteenths inch in diameter. The holes are exactly opposite each other on the two bars, in order that the cell forming sticks may slip up and down through them easily.

[picture of solar wax melter]

A solar wax extractor is an important item.

Two trays are used, one five by sixteen inches, the other two and one-half by fifteen inches. Water is placed in the larger forming a double boiler; while wax is placed in the inner tray and the whole set over the heat. The wax should be kept at the lowest temperature at which it will remain liquid. If it becomes too cool the cells will be lumpy; if too hot, they do not slip from the sticks. If one is not experienced, it is well, when the wax apparently reaches the proper temperature for successful dipping, to try dipping one stick, and, if the wax proves of satisfactory temperature, proceed to work.

[Picture]

Our cell-dipping outfit contains twenty forming sticks.

First, dip the ends of the forming sticks in cold water, then dip into the melted wax; again dip in the water and back into the wax for about four dippings, care being taken to have a firm thick base, with a thin even edge. By dipping the sticks in the wax and holding the bar up until a drop forms on the base of the cell, a thick base is procured. A thick base is necessary, for in trimming off the cells with a knife the cells would be injured if too short. When completed, the cells should be about five-sixteenths of an inch across the mouth and one-half inch deep inside measurements.

[picture]

Cells of the proper size and shape.

Many beekeepers make a mistake in believing that the most important feature for successful cell acceptance is the grafting of the larvae into the cells cups; but a far more important feature is that of making cells of the proper shape and size. The ideal cell would be as the bees build them, large inside, with a small mouth; but it is not possible, or at least practical for the beekeeper to make cells of this shape. Upon several occasions, I have given cells that had been accepted and slightly built out in the swarm box to a colony for finishing, when by accident it contained a virgin queen. Of course, the larvae and jelly were both quickly cleaned out. I have given one bar of such cells to a swarm box and two bars of our dipped cells. The bees seemed to concentrate all their efforts on the cells already worked on by the bees and neglected my dipped cells. The bees prefer to make the mouth of the cell just large enough for a worker bee to crawl into, and it is frequently noticed that sometimes in the workers haste to back out of a queen-cell when smoke is blown into the hive, it is caught and has to do considerable scrambling and kicking before it can get out. I find the best cell for practical purposes is one whose size is between that of the inside of a natural queen-cell at it's largest place and the mouth of the cell, this being five-sixteenths of an inch as given above. In our early experience, many of us, enthusiastic in rearing larger queens, sought to accomplish this by making larger cells; but being large at the mouth, the bees were loath to accept them, and it took considerable work on their part to build them over to the size they should be. When the bees get to work on the cells they mold them into the shape they want, regardless of the size and shape the beekeeper has made them. The smaller cells will give better acceptance than the larger ones; but do not for a moment imagine this cramps the larva and produces an inferior queen, for the bees enlarge the cell to suit their own fancy. For experimental purposes I have dipped queen-cells the size of a worker-cell, and excellent results were obtained. Cells larger than five-sixteenths of an inch are not accepted so readily as those of this size or smaller.

Nothing but pure beeswax of good quality should be used. Upon one occasion, when everything was going finely, cells accepted and built out nicely, the bees in the swarm boxes began to balk until accepted less than twenty-five per cent of those given. I had all conditions right, as I supposed, the same as before-plenty of young bees, well fed. At length I noticed the wax of which we made the cells was not so white as some we had been using. I made up a new batch of cells from clear white wax, and as if by magic, all cells were again accepted and everything went on splendidly as before. Instead of heating the wax in a double boiler as we do now, this wax had been set directly over the flame and had become slightly scorched and darkened, so the bees would have none of it.

[Picture]

And the cell cups painted at the base.

After the cells have remained in water long enough to become slightly hardened, they are loosened by giving each a slight twist, but allowed to remain on the sticks. They are then placed on the cell bar, the frame being supported on blocks. A small round paint brush is dipped in hot wax, and the cell cups painted at the base where they come in contact with the cell bar. A kettle should be kept at hand for melting additional wax to add to that in the inner tray, in order that sufficient wax may be had to make the cells the necessary one-half inch in depth. If the wax in ether becomes dark-colored or impure it should be discarded, and an entire batch of new clear wax placed in the tray. However, the darker wax may be used to paint the bases of the cells to cause them to adhere to the bar.

When the wax has become thoroughly cool, the frame is lifted off and all of the forming sticks come out of the cells easily. If properly done, the cells will remain on the bars even if subjected to considerable rough usage. When the cell bars are all finished they should be wrapped carefully in paper to be kept free from dust, since the bees will not accept dirty or dusty cells. If you have on hand the cardboard cartons in which foundation is shipped they make ideal containers for the cell bars.

Suggestions in Making Cell Cups.

Of course it is not advisable for the beginner to have a dipping outfit made as previously described. After mastering the grafting method, he may enlarge upon his equipment as he wishes. The beginner can either dip his cells one at a time and mount them or he can purchase ready-pressed cells from dealers in bee supplies. Either one will give perfect results. These cells may be mounted on bars as needed, thus eliminating the necessity of purchasing a large number of bars. The base of these cells may be dipped in hot wax and stuck on to the bar when needed. To avoid the necessity of getting the swarm box, he can also use the queenless and broodless method described in Chapter XIII. However, I believe it pays to use the swarm box, for one can, as a rule, get better results. In this way it is possible to experiment until one gets his hand in without putting much money into equipment, and as he progresses can add to the equipment to fit his requirements.

[Picture]

Pressed cell cup.

If one has difficulty in making his cells, one at a time or collectively, he can use to advantage the ready-made pressed cells sold by all dealers. Where only a small number are required the beginner will probably do better to buy what few he uses. The making of dipped cells is a nice art, and unless they are made just right, the bees will reject them.

ROYAL JELLY

CHAPTER VI

Every thing in readiness, we await the coming of spring with a great deal of enthusiasm and no little impatience. Sometimes it seems spring weather will never come; but it does no good to worry and if you look backwards, you remember that spring has never yet failed to come.

Is there anything more interesting than to watch the bees bring in their first loads of pollen? If the beekeeper has done his duty toward them the season before, there will be no need of tinkering with them until later in the spring. The soft maples blossom and go; then come the pear and apple blossoms, and soon a few heads of white clover can be seen. It is now time to get busy at queen-rearing. Some seasons the weather permits grafting soon after the first blossom; but it does not pay to be in too great hurry to rear queens before the real queen-rearing season arrives. I know of no definite rule concerning the time for it. Each person will have to find out by experimenting until he knows his location well enough to be reasonably sure when to begin.

Many times in the Mid-West, the bees are strong and the weather conditions ideal for cell-building during apple blossoms; but later the weather turns cold, so that virgin queens can not get out to mate. As nearly as I can come to it, when the hives are getting nicely filled with brood, when plenty of pollen is coming in and the bees are gathering a little nectar, then it is time to begin grafting.

Before grafting, a supply of royal jelly is necessary. Some very successful queen-breeders report they get satisfactory results without its use; but I have never been able to procure as large acceptance or as good strong queens without it. (Transcribers note: Jay Smith changed his mind on this.) J.W. George of El Centro, California, gave to the beekeeping fraternity a valuable little kink when he explained that royal jelly can be bottled and kept in perfect condition from one season to another. I have practiced this to advantage, and find one of the great difficulties of queen-rearing is thereby removed.

If you have no royal jelly on hand, a colony may be made queenless until they build queen-cells, when you can get the jelly from them. After the first grafting, some of the jelly in a few cells you have produced may be used; but, in this way you continually destroy good queen cells.

As a container for royal jelly, I use a small porcelain jar with a screw cap. A piece of waxed cardboard in the cover makes it air-tight. Let me offer a suggestion as to where you can get one of these jars. Make a raid on your wife's manicuring outfit, and, if luck is with you, you will find one of these jars. To be sure that luck will be with you, better do it when she is out. This jar usually has some pink dope in it. Take this out, put it into a tin can, present it to your wife with your compliments and make off with the jar. Thoroughly sterilize this jar by boiling, for the bees seem to object to the funny smell that comes with it. If your wife does not have this, or if you do not have a wife, you can go to the drug store and find just the size and style that suit you. The dope looks as though it might be of use if you put it into the grease cups of your flivver, but I do not want to suggest too many dangerous experiments for you to try all at once. For a jelly spoon, I prefer to make one out of the bone handle of a toothbrush, which also may be found in the manicuring outfit. Break off the brush and whittle down the small end until it fits nicely into a worker-cell. This jelly spoon and the jelly jar are to be carried in the pocket of your trousers or dress, whichever you wear. While working with your bees during the season you will be running across colonies that have royal jelly to spare. Whenever a swarm issues, just take out the jar and spoon and get the royal jelly. I have found that I come across enough in my regular work so that I never have to make any special hunt for jelly. It is well to have two of these jars; keep one in your pocket and the other in the grafting room.

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And get the royal jelly.

THE SWARM BOX.

CHAPTER VIII.

There are several methods used for getting cells accepted and started by the bees; but when all things are considered, I believe the swarm box has more desirable features than any other. For best results the swarm box must be kept in even temperature. It gives perfect results during cool weather, for, by placing it in the cellar, cave or basement, the outside temperature does not affect the bees. During hot weather it gives equally good results for the same reason. By using the swarm box it is not necessary to have any colony queenless at any time.

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The swarm box.

The box is made eight inches wide, inside measurement, and should be the right length and depth to take the sized brood-frame to be used, allowing about an inch space below the frames. The bottom is covered with wire-screen cloth. Four legs one inch long are fastened to the bottom in order to provide plenty of ventilation. At each end of the box two strips of wood are nailed to support the cell bars. These should be placed so that the cell bars will be a little lower than the top of the brood frames. A cover is made with cleats running entirely around, forming a telescope cover one inch deep. In the center of this cover is made an oblong opening large enough so that three cell bars may be passed through it with ease. The object of this cover, which is little more than a rim around the edge, is to prevent the bees from boiling out over the sides when the bars are being put into the swarm box. A second cover slides on top of the telescope cover, thus closing the opening in it. The end-cleats on the telescope cover extend a little above to keep the upper cover in place. Two Heavy wire handles swing up over the ends so that when the swarm box is being carried, these covers cannot fall off. A round opening is made in the top of the upper cover by the use of an expansive bit just the size to take the cap of a mason jar. When feeding the bees, a Mason jar with a perforated cap is used in this opening which is also utilized for putting the bees into the swarm box by inserting a tin funnel and shaking the bees from combs into the box. The box is given two coats of paint to prevent it's warping so it will thus remain bee-tight. When made in such a way as to have the cell bars inside, the bees may cluster all around them and thus keep the temperature uniform, which gives much better results than the old style where the bars were placed in slots in the cover.

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These covers cannot fall off.

The old style swarm box is somewhat easier to make and for experimental purposes might be preferred by some. It is similar to the one just described except the cover, which is merely a thin board with an opening cut in the top large enough to hold the three cell bars. In using this it is well to place a cushion over the bars to keep out light and retain the heat. In this style it is necessary to make the filling hole at the end of the cover to avoid the opening made for the top bars.

GETTING THE BEES IN CONDITION FOR CELL-BUILDING

CHAPTER VIII.

Let us remember that for the best results in cell-building we must have plenty of young bees which are being lavishly fed either from a honey flow or from receiving sugar syrup. This condition is necessary where even a few cells are being built by the colony. Now, as we wish them to build a large number of cells, the colony must be exceedingly strong. As we are starting early in the spring while only a little nectar is coming in, it will be necessary to feed sugar syrup in order to get the best results.

The method of feeding that I have found very satisfactory is to take a two quart mason jar and punch in the cap eight nail-holes 1-16 inch. Fill it with syrup, equal parts of granulated sugar and water. Many recommend a weaker syrup, but with me the heavier syrup gives the best results. There is no loss as the bees store in the combs all that they do not need. A bee-escape board is used for a hive cover, and the Mason jar is inverted over this hole. An empty hive body is set on, and a regular hive cover is placed on top of all. By this method of feeding there is no robbing, and the bees take the syrup night and day even if the weather is quite cold, which they will not do when this style of feeder is used at the entrance. However, our regular bottom-board feeder, as described later, has so many advantages over any other that I am now using it for all purposes.

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By this method of feeding there will be no robbing.

As the swarm-box colonies as well as the finishing colonies are very strong, it is an advantage to slide the hive forward on the bottom-board, thereby affording better ventilation. This also provides an opening into which the syrup is poured. Many advocate giving them a very little thin syrup from an entrance feeder, using about a pint a day. This will answer very will if some nectar is coming in; but, when this is not the case, better results can be obtained by giving syrup in abundance. Two quarts of syrup, equal parts sugar and water, per day will give excellent results. Enough must be given to cause the bees to build white comb, and this enables them to draw out the cells to perfection as well as to secrete an abundance of royal jelly. My experience has been that the bees do every bit as well when the feed is given them all at once every night as they do when they take it through three or four holes from the Mason jar. It must be borne in mind that there is no waste in giving them more than they use at the time, for all surplus is stored in the combs. The colony that is to furnish bees for the swarm box must be very strong in bees. If it is not in this condition, it must be built up by giving it frames of emerging brood from other colonies. If a hive smaller than the ten-frame jumbo is used it should have a double brood-chamber, and both stories should be full of bees and brood. The hive should contain ten or twelve pounds of bees. Rearing good, vigorous queens without strong colonies and plenty of feed is an impossibility. The colony that is to furnish bees for the swarm box must be fed at least three days before the swarm box is filled. It will do little good to feed them just before they go into the box. I do not know why this is true, but it seems to take a few days for the bees to assimilate the food and make it over into royal jelly. So I use the term, "fat bees." You must fatten the bees before they can do good work at feeding larvae. Poor, hungry bees will not accept cells. If there is a pretty good honey flow on, no feeding will be required.

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This also provides an opening into which the syrup is poured.

CELL FINISHING COLONIES.

CHAPTER IX.

Since we have the swarm-box colony in fine condition with abundance of bees and supplied with food, we will prepare the finishing colonies. As we expect to start three bars of cells in the swarm box, it will be necessary to prepare three colonies to finish them, for one bar of twenty cells is enough for even the strongest colony. However, if the finishing colonies are sufficiently populous, they will do exactly as good work at finishing twenty as can be done by a colony preparing to swarm, in building cells in their own natural way. The method of preparing the finishing colonies is similar to preparing the swarm box colony. They must also be kept running over with bees. At the beginning of the season when the colonies have not had time to build up to maximum strength, a large amount of brood is required to put them in condition to do the best work. All empty combs in the brood-nest should be removed and replaced with brood from other colonies.

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Running over with bees.

They must make a two-story colony. The second story must be added with a queen-excluder between the two hive bodies. If the colony is of sufficient strength to care for nine frames of brood, the frames are placed in the upper story after shaking off all the bees. If the finishing colony is not strong enough to take care of the extra frames of brood, it is best to give it the nine frames of brood with adhering bees. There is some danger of these strange bees killing the queen below, and in order to prevent this, place a newspaper between the two bodies on top of the queen-excluder and let them unite the same as when two colonies are united. In this case you have the advantage of both brood and bees. In two weeks most of the brood will have emerged, and the combs will be filled with sugar syrup or honey. Remove these and put in some more brood. Do not wait until you notice that the cells are not being finished as they should be, for, if you do, a lot of inferior queens will result.

These combs of honey with a little capped brood are excellent for giving to colonies that are short of stores, or they can be given to nuclei. Always keep unsealed brood on each side of the frames containing cells, in order to draw nurse bees to them. No matter how strong the finishing colony may be, it will do poor work at cell-finishing unless there is unsealed brood in the upper story.

We must bear in mind that, when feeding is necessary, it must be done several days before the bees are to build cells-two days at the shortest and three days are better, the same as with the colony that is to furnish bees for the swarm box. If fed three days before going into the swarm box, they will be in splendid condition to feed the larvae and to draw out the cells in the proper shape.

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Showing September cells.

The very best of cells may be built any time of the year after brood rearing is well under way in the spring until it stops in the fall. In order to have good cells built out of season, it is necessary to put the colony that is to supply the bees for the swarm box and the finishing colony in the proper condition. We should remember it is the condition of these colonies that brings results, and not the time of year, the honey flow or swarming fever. Therefore, if we build up the colonies with brood taken from other colonies and feed these built-up colonies, we have as good conditions for cell-building as we have with a strong colony during a honey flow. It is evident that to build up colonies to cell-building conditions in early spring or late fall is expensive, as it will rob a number of colonies of their brood; but, if queens are needed at such times, it can be done with profit. The illustration shows some bars of cells built in late September after the flowers have all gone. But few of the virgins that emerged from these cells ever became laying queens for the weather turned cold and they could not venture out on their honeymoon.

One should bear in mind that it is the best queens that make the records at honey getting, so it pays big dividends to be extravagant with brood and feed. If all cells have dried-down royal jelly in them after the queen emerges, you have done all that can be done in the way of providing bees and feed to the cell-building colony. If some cells have no jelly in them, you are not rearing the best of queens. True, some may be first class for they may have had enough after consuming it all, but there are sure to be some that do not have enough and dwarf queens will result.

How many cells can a colony finish? During the summer of 1923 some experiments were made at our yard to determine the number of cells a colony should finish. In stating the number in this book, we wish to stand on firm ground and not advocate anything that might bring poor results to the beginner. If our experiments prove conclusive, we shall give them to the public later; but at this writing I believe that, when the colony that is to start or finish the cells is in perfect condition, it will build a large number of cells, and when not in good condition, it will not do good work on one cell. This is somewhat similar to the perplexing problems of "over stocking." When the honey plants are in good conditions, overstocking is almost impossible; but, when the plants are not in proper condition, a single colony can not make a surplus.

FILLING THE SWARM BOX.

CHAPTER X.

Two combs containing some honey and pollen are placed in the swarm box. These should be old combs and not too heavy, for, in the handling they are to receive, they will be liable to break down if new or if they contain much honey. These combs are placed one at each side of the box and are held in position by the two blocks that are to support the cell bars. If one has never used a swarm box, it is well to place it on scales for a few times until able to judge accurately the weight of the bees the box contains. A funnel such as is employed in the filling of pound packages, is used for putting bees into the box.

While good results can be had with no pollen in the swarm box, better results are obtained by having plenty of it in the two combs that are used. It is surprising to note the amount that the bees will consume while confined in the swarm box. If the two combs have an abundance, it will usually be eaten after the combs have been used three times. Before filling the box with bees, examine the combs, and, if they do not contain sufficient pollen, they should be removed and other frames containing plenty put in their place.

Set the swarm box in front of the colony from which the bees are to be taken, put the funnel into the hole and all is ready for the bees. It is quite desirable, upon all occasions when removing frames from the hive, to see that they are put back in the same position as found. If not, queen-cells are apt to be started, and when the virgin emerges, she will kill the laying queen. This subject will be discussed more fully under "Introducing Queens." A good method is to take out the frame nearest you and set it several feed away from the entrance. Then examine the next frame to find the queen. If she is not on that frame, set it back, lift out the next and then the next until the queen is found. Pick her up by the wings and put her on the frame you first took out. Set all frames back in their regular place except the one that has the queen.

The reason we set the first frame with the queen some distance away is to prevent the bees and the queen from crawling back into the hive, thus getting the queen into the swarm box.

Nothing I can call to mind creates such a strong desire to kick one's self as to get the queen into the swarm box. I know from experience. While you are working with the bees, they begin to fan and the first thing you know all the bees, including the queen, begin a grand march for the entrance or go over the top and into the hive. You do not know that the queen is there, and your grafting comes to naught. Instead of accepted cells you find them mostly torn out by the roots and made over into some fine worker comb containing eggs. In order to avoid this calamity, set the frame with the queen so far away that the bees will not heed the call of their companions.

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Give it a quick shake downward and then upward.

We are now ready to put in the bees. Take out the first frame covered with bees, put one end of it down into the funnel, take hold of the other with both hands and give it a quick shake downward, then upward. Two little shakes, in which the comb is not moved more than two or three inches, will dislodge all of the bees except those that have their heads down in the cells. Set this frame back into the hive and do the same with the others until the desired number of bees are in the box. From five to seven pounds is the right amount. Try to get six pounds as nearly as possible. With a little practice you will not vary much more than a pound either way. There should still remain in the hive a sufficient number of bees to care for the brood. When the box has the required amount of bees in it, remove the funnel, place the cap of a mason jar in the hole, replace the comb containing the queen, close the hive and carry the box to the basement.

Caution. When a heavy honey flow is on, take care that the bees are not daubed with honey when they are shaken into the swarm box, for if they are they will suffocate and both bees and cells will be lost. True, if a little honey is smeared on them it does no harm; but too much is disastrous. When a heavy honey flow is on, shake the comb lightly so no nectar is displaced, and, if sufficient bees are not obtained in this manner, the bees not shaken off may be brushed off with a bee-brush. When more than five pounds of bees are put in the swarm box, it is advisable to set the box on two by four scantlings to afford more abundant ventilation.

The Dungeon.

In one corner of the basement I have what I call the "bee dungeon." This is a room made by stacking up extracted supers and hive bodies to the ceiling to make it dark. The opening that serves as a door is made in break-joint style so that no light can get in. It is wide enough so that a person can walk in carrying a swarm box in each hand, which is another advantage over a swinging door for plenty of fresh air can enter. Back in the dungeon the bees remain quiet as though it were night, away from noise, light and strong air currents, and are as contented and satisfied as though they wee in their own hive. If no basement is available, any room in the honey-house where it is not too hot or cold will do; but it will pay to make a basement. It is the ideal place. I usually fill the box at one o'clock in the afternoon and leave the bees confined there in the basement until three o'clock. I find that two hours of confinement is all that is necessary, for as the bees are queenless, broodless and on strange combs, they realize their queenlessness to the fullest extent in that length of time.

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Are contented and satisfied as though in their own hive.

Why the Bees Accept the Cells.

Now, while the bees are contentedly clustering to the lid of the swarm box, licking the honey off any luckless individual that was daubed up when they were shaken from the combs, let us consider the condition brought about with the bees that causes them to do good work at cell-accepting. For some days previous, the young nurse bees have been feeding great hoards of larval food which is the same as the food we call royal jelly. We have suddenly taken them away from these larvae, so they continue to secrete the royal jelly but have no larvae to feed. They also realize their queenlessness. They are crying for a queen; they have the food with which to raise many queens, but they have no larvae with which to do it. It is our privilege to accommodate them in this respect, so now we will proceed.

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Root's grapevine apiary.

GRAFTING THE CELL CUPS.

CHAPTER XI.

The best place to do the grafting is in the honey-house or the room of a dwelling where there is plenty of light coming through a south window. A room is better than out of doors for several reasons. It is cool, and the larvae may be kept away from strong light, heat and drying winds. It is more comfortable for the operator, and he is away from robber bees. The grafting outfit is quite simple-a grafting needle that can be bought from dealers in bee supplies, a jelly spoon made out of a toothbrush handle, a little jar of royal jelly and a small individual salt dish in which to mix the jelly. With the jelly spoon, place some of the royal jelly in the salt dish and dilute it with pure water. It should be as nearly as possible like the thin larval food seen in the bottom of the worker-cell soon after the egg has hatched. When this is done, go to the hive containing your best breeding queen and take out a frame with as many young larvae of proper age as possible.

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The grafting outfit is quite simple.

When no nectar is coming in, this colony should have been fed the same as the cell-finishing colonies already described; but, if even a very little nectar is coming in, no feeding will be necessary. The best results cannot be obtained by grafting hungry larvae. If they lie in the bottom of the worker-cells dry with no larval food around them, they are not fit to be used for grafting. They will not be accepted by the bees so readily nor can so good, strong queens be reared. Stunting the larva at the beginning of its development can not be overcome at a later period, no matter how ideal the conditions may be. If the larvae are floating in royal jelly, they are in perfect condition for grafting. If they are not, it indicates that the colony needs feeding. Should the colony not have a sufficient number of larvae of the right size, it is a good practice to insert occasionally an empty comb in the center of the brood-nest in which the queen may lay. If possible a black comb should be selected since the larva can be seen much better than in a new white one. Use a brush to remove the bees from the comb for, if the comb is shaken, the nectar will be scattered over the larvae, in which case they are not accepted so readily.

Carry the comb into the grafting room. Now take three bars of cells that were dipped during the winter. Be sure that the cells are perfectly clean. If they contain any dust or dirt they must be thoroughly washed and dried before being used, as the bees will not accept dirty or dusty cells. With the large end of the grafting needle place a little diluted royal jelly into each of the sixty cells. A drop about twice the size of a pinhead is sufficient. Endeavor to get this in the neat round ball right in the bottom of the queen-cell, for the bees accept them much better when it is placed in this manner. Keep the cells and the comb out of the bright sunlight as much as possible. When the weather was hot and dry, I formerly sprinkled water on the floor to keep the air moist that the jelly and larvae might not dry out and die. One day as I was doing this the Office Force was looking on in that inquisitive manner common to the gentler sex, and she said, "what is the use of dampening up the whole room when you merely want to keep those cells moist? Why don't you dip a bath towel into some water, wring it out and spread it over the cells? "Yes, why didn't I? For the very good reason that I never thought of it. Thanks for the bright idea." I tried it. It works to perfection, so I have used it ever since. A moistened towel keeps the cells from drying out and protects the larvae from light and dust.

Now sit down in a chair with your back to the window so the light will come over the right shoulder. Place one of the cell bars on the side of the top bar of the brood-frame and parallel with it, holding it there with the thumb of the left hand. With the grafting needle in the right hand carefully slide the point under the larvae, choosing one that is about twelve hours old. Larvae that are twelve hours old are extremely small, and unless the one doing the grafting has very good eyes, he will be unable to see the clearly enough to do satisfactory work. A fine rule is to use larvae as small as can be seen; but, if the operator has exceptionally good vision, there is danger of getting them too small, for larvae less than twelve hours old are not accepted so readily as those older. I have never been able to determine whether it is due to the fact that these small larvae can not stand the handling or whether for some reason the bees do not like them so well. On the other hand, larvae much more than twelve hours old should not be used, for while they will be accepted, they often do not make such good queens as the younger ones. True, they have not yet received any food except royal jelly; but from experiments I have made, I am sure that the best queens can not generally be produced if older larvae are used. I believe it is due to the fact that, as the larva is grafted at an advanced age, the nurse bees do not have the same length of time to store royal jelly in the queen-cell as in the case of younger larvae, therefore the larva does not have sufficient food for it's fullest development.

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Holding it there with the thumb of the left hand.

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Slide the point under the larva.

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Larvae twelve hours old.

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About one-half of the larva projecting over the edge.

There is quite a knack in getting the larva on the grafting needle in just the right position. If it is entirely on the grafting needle, difficulty may be experienced in getting it off. The needle point should be placed under it in such a way as to leave about one-half of the larva projecting over the edge. When this is done, it is easy to remove the larva from the needle. Put the needle into the cell cup until the larva touches the drop of royal jelly, carefully draw the needle sidewise and the larva will remain in the jelly. At first this may be a slow operation, but in a short time you will be able to graft three bars in ten minutes or less. As soon as one bar is finished, place it back under the dampened towel. When all three are finished, they are ready to be placed in the swarm box. Take them to the basement and bring the swarm box out of the dungeon to the front where the light is better. Put the three cell-bars tightly together so they may be grasped with the right hand all at once. Lay them down with the cells upward. Now pick up the swarm box by taking hold of each end. Raise it about six inches from the concrete floor and bring it down with a jar. All of the bees that were hanging to the cover will fall to the bottom in a mass. Now remove the upper cover, take up the cell bars and place them in the box, allowing them to rest on the two cleats in each end, and slide the cover back in place. This can be done without a single bee's getting out. Have ready a quart Mason jar, with a perforated lid, filled with sugar syrup or honey diluted with about one-fourth water, which is much better feed for the swarm box. Sometimes bees will not take the syrup, but they will take honey. I do not put the feeder on when I first set them in the basement, for they will not take syrup or honey until they have been in there several hours, long enough to get the spilled honey all cleaned up, but feed them immediately after grafted cells are given them. Set the swarm box back into the dungeon, and the bees will do the rest.

Digression.

We have now passed over the most difficult part of queen-rearing, that of getting the cells properly accepted. Many have failed at queen-rearing because they could not get cells accepted with any degree of certainty. The question is frequently asked, "Why use the swarm box? Why not give the cells immediately to a colony?" The answer is, "Because the bees will not accept the cells." The condition brought about, as has just been described, enables the nurse bees to feed the larvae and draw out the cells in the best manner possible. Bees have many peculiar traits. One of them is that they will mechanically go ahead with a job that has been started. It is not difficult to get cells finished when they are once started. The difficulty is in the starting. So now, as we have brought about a condition by which the bees will start cells, it is a simple matter to get other colonies to go ahead with the job and rush it to completion; while, if we had given those same colonies these cells to start, they would have had none of it.

Reasons of Success.

Let me enumerate again the reasons why bees accept cells.

1. Liberal feeding of the colony that furnishes bees to stock the swarm box. Remember, unless a honey flow is on, they must be fed generously at least three days before being placed in the swarm box.

2. A sufficient number of bees in the swarm box. There should be at least five pounds.

3. A large number of nurse bees, young bees. Remember that old bees are poor nurses and will fail in accepting cells. (Transcriber's note: Jay believed this because the scientists told him this. After his own careful observation he changed his mind on this.)

4. Well-fed, moist larvae in the colony which has the breeding queen.

5. Clean cells, made of wax that has not been scorched in melting, are most essential.

6. Cells must be the right size. Those that are too large will not be accepted.

7. Be careful to keep the royal jelly at the right consistency. Royal jelly too thick or too thin will cause failure in whole or part.

8. Grafting Larvae that are the right size and age.

9. Be careful that the larvae have not been overheated or dried by the sun's rays. If they are, the bees will always reject them.

10. Keep the larvae from chilling.

11. Careful handling while grafting so as not to injure or kill the larvae.

12. Be sure the swarm box is kept in a place that is neither too hot nor too cold.

EMPTYING THE SWARM BOX.

CHAPTER XII.

The bees should remain in the swarm box until three or four o'clock of the day following. If taken out earlier the cells are not sufficiently advanced to insure their completion by the finishing colony. If left in too long, the nurse bees seem to exhaust their supply of royal jelly and the larvae are not sufficiently fed. They can be taken out at any time before the night of the following day; but as a general thing, the cells suffer if left in over night of the second day. From twenty-four to thirty hours is the proper length of time for the bees to be confined. Carry the box out to the hive from which the bees were taken, remove the upper cover and lift out the bars. If the work has been properly done nearly all of the cells should be accepted. One should average an acceptance of eighteen cells out of twenty and frequently all should be accepted. When the bars are taken out the larvae should have an abundance of royal jelly literally swimming in it, and the cells be drawn out into proper shape. If conditions are right all sixty are accepted.

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And lift out the bars.

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All Sixty are accepted.

Give the bar a very light shake to remove most of the bees that are clustered on it and then carefully brush off the remainder. Do not shake the bar too severely or some of the larvae will be displaced, in which case they will be removed from the cells by the finishing colonies.

For suspending the cell bars in the finishing colonies there is nothing better than a regular cell-bar holder made to hold three bars. Place one bar in the bottom section, spread the brood-frames apart, put in the holder frame, and give it to one of the finishing colonies. The best results are secured by placing frames of unsealed brood on both sides of the frame that holds the cells, for this draws the nurse bees right to the cells and they immediately take hold of the cells and carry the work on to successful completion. Replace the cover and see that the feeder is kept liberally supplied with feed so that the bees will receive an ample supply. Take the other two bars and give them to the other two finishing colonies. Go back to the swarm box, take off the lower cover, remove the combs and shake off all the bees possible and brush off the remainder. Pick up the swarm box, invert it and give it a rap on the ground to dislodge all the bees. Replace the combs, put on the covers and take it back to the basement to remain till needed again.

THE PRITCHARD FORCED CELL-STARTING COLONY.

CHAPTER XIII.

While I myself much prefer the swarm box for securing cells, there are others, like my friend Pritchard of the A.I. Root Company, who prefer to use queenless and broodless colonies for cell-starting. Instead of going to a colony and shaking bees into the swarm box, as already described, Mr. Pritchard prefers to reverse the process by leaving the bees in the hive, removing all the brood with the queen, and placing them temporarily on another hive. He proceeds as follows:

All the combs including the bees, brood and queen of a medium colony (not a strong one) are removed from the hive. Two combs of pollen and honey are selected and set backing the hive one on each side, taking care not to get the queen. Two frames for holding cell bars (without the cell bars) are then put in the center of the hive. The two combs of pollen and honey are shoved over next to them. On either side is put a thin division board feeder containing thick syrup. The remaining space on each side is then filled out with dummies of division boards. The two cell bar frames are now removed and all the other combs of brood and bees are shaken into the space vacated taking care not to get the queen. The brood and the queen are now put in the upper story of a strong colony, over a queen excluder. It is necessary to cage the queen.

In from half an hour to one hour's time, or as soon as the bees in the made-up colony set up a roar of distress when they have discovered their loss of a queen and brood, the two cell bar frames are supplied with prepared cells, and are then put in the open space left, where the bees are crying for a queen. The queenless and broodless bees, supplied with an enormous amount of pap which they expected to use in feeding their young larvae but which has been all removed, immediately accept and supply the prepared cells with pap. The two feeders containing thick syrup and two combs containing honey and pollen will give the bees all that is necessary to supply them with material for making more pap.

The prepared cells will usually be accepted and lavishly supplied with pap in about 24 hours. It is not advisable to remove them before. When nicely started the cells are put in cell-finishing colonies as previously explained. The removed brood and the queen are restored to the colony.

While it might and could make a second batch of cells, Mr. Prichard does not advise it.

Mr. Pritchard says he prefers this method of getting cells started, because it saves the extra equipment of swarm boxes, toting them back and forth from the cellar, and because the bees during the time that they are starting cells are not confined. He thinks this is very important. The unconfined bees, he thinks, will do more and better work. By the plan described, he says he can get 200 cells started, each cell literally gorged with a big supply of pap. These cells, when given to cell-finishing colonies, will be completed in the regulation time, and every cell will be perfect.

The fundamental difference between the forced cell-starting colony and the portable swarm box is that Mr. Pritchard moves the brood and the queen, while I move the bees. He thinks that the unconfined bees do better work. I am not so sure of that. I succeed better with the bees that are confined in a cool place. Mr. Prichard will doubtless continue his way, and doubtless I will go on with the way that has given me the results I have secured.

It will be noted that the Prichard plan of making up a cell-starting colony amounts virtually to a swarm box left on the old location. Fundamentally the principle is exactly the same, but the procedure is different.

Of course it is necessary to feed these prepared colonies the same as the bees in the swarm boxes. This is important.

A Modification of the Doolittle Plan.

I have used a modification of the Doolittle method with the best of success and it may be preferred by many to the swarm box. With further experimenting and practice, possibly we ourselves may prefer it to the swarm box. This method is as follows: The colony for starting these cells should be one of extraordinary strength, being a two-story colony. Any standard hive will do, but we use the Jumbo hive, and in preparing this we see that it has twenty Jumbo frames of brood. The queen-excluder is kept between the upper and lower story. After all of the brood above has been sealed, we remove the lower story containing the queen and the brood to a location about ten feet distant. The upper story, containing only frames of honey and capped brood, is set on the bottom-board of the stand from which the hive containing the queen and brood was removed. Three frames are taken out to make room for three frames of cells, which are to be put in later on. The hive containing the queen is now opened and the frame containing the queen is set outside. The frames are then lifted out and the bees from eight or nine of them shaken into the hive on the old stand. The queen with her frame of brood, is then set back into the hive on the new stand and the cover replaced. In a short time, half an hour or an hour, as soon as the bees have cleaned up the honey or syrup that has been daubed on them, they are ready to receive the cells. Three bars are grafted, placed in a frame to hold them and put into the starting colony. A second and third are prepared in the same way, which fills up the space. In this manner nine bars are started instead of three as with the swarm box; though it is not advisable to start so many unless the colony is of tremendous strength. After twenty-four or thirty-six hours these frames are removed and given to the finishing colonies, the same as when the swarm box is used. The other brood-nest containing the queen and brood is now brought back, set underneath and all is well. In two days' time the colony can be used to start another batch of cells. We use the same colony over and over for starting cells twice a week.

By this time the objection to the original queenless, broodless method is largely overcome. The queen can continue laying, as enough bees are left with her to keep up brood-rearing, and the work is much less than with the method whereby the queen has to be caged and bees brushed off from the brood. In using this, if there is no honey flow they must be fed the same as when the swarm box is used. Some will prefer this to the swarm box, and some will not. It has one advantage over the swarm box, in that no harm is done; while some have reported bees suffocated in the swarm box. Another time-saving feature is that if this colony is made tremendously strong as described, a larger number of cells may be started.

To say that a colony must be strong does not mean much; but if both stories are kept full of capped brood before being used, it will build the colony up to greater strength; and if it should run down, the upper story may again be filled with brood. But this should not be left in this story when giving cells until the brood is sealed, for the bees will not do so good work at cell starting where they have other brood to feed. Recently we had a field meeting in our apiary in Vincennes. Always willing to do their part, my bees decided it would be a good exhibition of they would swarm; so one of these cell-building colonies did so just before the crowd arrived. I put a piece of burlap on a saw-horse and placed the queen on top, and the swarm settled there where it remained for two hours or more, greatly admired by those present. Several disinterested parties weighted this swarm and found it weighted exactly twenty-five pounds. This would be about one hundred and twenty-five thousand bees, while seventy-five thousand must have still remained in the hive, thus making the enormous horde of two hundred thousand bees! I had estimated our starting colonies and finishing colonies at one hundred and fifty thousand each, but from that experience, I believe my estimate was too low. Of course, it is understood these bees were not the product of one queen as it would be impossible for one queen, no matter how prolific, to produce a swarm of that size; but from this we get some idea of a really strong colony, and for best results in raising the finest cells in large numbers, a strong colony as just described is very essential.

In the above modification of the queenless, broodless method it will be seen that the brood and queen remain together, and the queen continues to lay very similarly to the method in which the swarm box is used. The cost of equipment of the two methods is about the same. One requires the swarm boxes and funnel and the other requires an extra hive. Personal preference must determine which is used; both are excellent.

Extensive experiments are being continually conducted at our yard, and possibly in the future the present plan of cell-finishing above the excluder will be abandoned for something better. We have left one hundred and eighty cells with the queenless, broodless colony that started them until they were completed and some most excellent results have been obtained. Two colonies were shaken into one, and both colonies moved to a new location. Further experiments will determine whether or not this method will supersede the former with us. In any of the above methods, however the one big feature is proper feeding. Heavy feeding three or four days before giving the cells is a most important feature.

OUR DAILY PROGRAM.

CHAPTER XIV.

Many will find it more suitable to their systems of management to graft three or more times a week. Some graft every day. I graft Wednesdays and Saturdays. As I am to give my own system first, I shall follow it through. Let us consider that we did our first grafting on Saturday. Before time to dispose of the cells we shall again graft on Wednesday and Saturday. To make it clear, let us suppose the Saturday we first grafted was the 5th of the month. We must graft again on Wednesday, the 9th, again on Saturday, the 12th. When we put in the cells of the second grafting, some of the cells of the first will be capped over. The bar containing these should be moved up to the middle and the new one placed on the bottom shelf. The bees do better work when the newly accepted cells are placed on the bottom shelf. By this method, the bar of ripe cells is always on top and it will not be necessary to remove the frame to get the bar. Cells should be removed and introduced to colonies or nuclei on the 10th day after grafting. So the cells that were grafted on the 5th must be introduced on the 15th. This makes Saturday the busiest day of the week as we must both introduce cells and graft, but the light day's work comes on Sunday so we can enjoy a day of rest. While we try to arrange our work so there is as little work as possible on Sunday, there are a few chores that cannot well be avoided. Laying queens are removed from the nuclei on Mondays and Fridays so that by following this program everything fits nicely. All that there is to remember is the following program:

Program for the Week.

Monday: Remove laying queens from the nuclei.

Tuesday: Introduce ripe cells to nuclei.

Wednesday: Graft.

Thursday: Empty the swarm boxes.

Friday: Remove laying queens from nuclei.

Saturday: Introduce ripe cells to nuclei and graft.

Sunday: Empty the swarm boxes.

This program prevents mistakes, and, while no record or memoranda are used, it is almost automatic in its working.

In explaining this program at this time I am getting a little ahead of my story, but it seems necessary and details will be explained in due time. One feature must be watched carefully. In the finishing colonies queen-cells will sometimes be started on the frames of brood. If any queens are allowed to emerge, havoc will be wrought with all three bars of cells. It is well each time a bar is placed in the finishing colony to look the brood-frames over and cut out any cells that may have been started.

NUCLEUS HIVES

CHAPTER XV.

There are many styles of nucleus hives in use, and some have desirable features not found in the others. The small Baby Nucleus hive had a run for a while but is now generally considered a mere passing fad. It is so small that the bees are put into an unnatural condition, and they therefore perform in an unnatural manner. They seem to delight in pulling off all sorts of crazy stunts, such as absconding with a laying queen or absconding with a virgin; absconding when they run out of food or absconding when they have plenty. Another of their favorite sports is balling their queen when she returns from her mating flight. I have seen queens fly out from their baby nucleus and, unlike Lot's wife, they never looked behind them. The queens reasoned, "Why take a look at that little hive? I'm not coming back!" And frequently they did not, but would hunt around trying to find a real colony that would accept them. I used to keep a number of bars in a single hive for incubation. These colonies seemed to be particularly inviting to these truant queens, which were usually accepted. There was henceforth a great tearing down of cells, and it made me very dejected to see a double handful of dead queens lying in front of these hives. They never worked this game, however, where cells were finished above the excluder. These baby nuclei are easily robbed out, do not gather enough to live on and do not stand either hot or cold weather as well as the larger ones.

I have a vision of one day during a dearth of pasture in hot July when a baby nucleus absconded and went up into a tall tree and clustered. Was it worth going after? Maybe they had a laying queen, so I would try. The whole swarm was not much bigger than a walnut, shucks and all. At last, after climbing till I was completely tired out and had almost reached the, they took wing. While I was watching them disappear into the blue sky and was in a state of mind unnecessary to describe, along came a cheerful idiot who asked, "Say, Mister, how much honey did they make up there?"

Another objection to the baby nuclei is the fact that it is hard to tell a good queen from a poor one, for a good queen lays several eggs in one cell for want of room, exactly like a poor queen. Baby nuclei do not contain sufficient bees to incubate the queen-cells properly, thereby resulting in inferior queens. Yes, I have in use a hundred baby nuclei-as playthings for the children and for use as bird boxes. A woodpecker has appropriated one and, after peeking the entrance a little larger, crowded it full of acorns. For once the baby nucleus has secured a surplus.

The Root twin mating nucleus hive is midway between the Baby and the ones having standard frame. In it each compartment holds three frames, just the size for three to fit inside a regular Hoffman frame. These may be placed in a regular hive, and when the frames are filled with brood and honey they are taken out and placed in the nucleus hive. J.E. Wing, the well-known queen-breeder of San Jose California, prefers this hive to any other. He has special hives made to hold large numbers of these frames, for stocking those for the nucleus hives. In this way he overcomes one objectionable feature, that of fitting them into a regular Hoffman frame. Mr. Wing's system of management is favorable to these small hives for he practices migratory queen-rearing, moving to localities where there is a honey flow. He moves to one district where there is a heavy flow from honeydew. It should be remembered that the small nucleus hives give much better results when there is a honey flow than when there is a dearth of pasture so that feeding becomes necessary. The large "babies" give some better results than the smaller ones; but the ones taking a regular brood frame have so many advantages that they are being used by nearly all who rear many queens.

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Root twin mating nucleus.

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Each compartment large enough to hold two Jumbo Frames.

I strongly advise a nucleus hive that will take the regular brood-frame that is used in your hives. The one that I use is a twin hive, each compartment large enough to hold two jumbo frames and a division-board. The entrances are at opposite corners. A telescope cap is used with cleats that support it and give the air a chance to circulate, thus keeping it cool in hot weather. Usually only one frame is used with a thin division-board feeder to keep the bees from building comb in the vacant space. This gives the bees so much room that there is no absconding. It is comfortable in the hottest weather and has given perfect results. During a honey flow these nuclei are strong enough to fill up with honey. In fact in many cases, I have to give them sheets of foundation to keep the bees from going over the feeder and building comb.

Another nucleus hive among the best is that used by M.H. Mendleson, the veteran honey producer and queen-breeder of Ventura, California. This is a standard hive body, divided into three compartments. There is an entrance at each end, and one on one side. While working with this hive Mr. Mendleson sits on the blind side. In their mild climate he is able to winter these nuclei over with perfect success. There is nothing better than this style of nucleus hive.

Entrance Blocks for Nuclei.

The entrance block may seem like a trifling item; but, after experimenting with several, I feel that a description of one that has given me splendid satisfaction may be worth while. If the entrance is not very plain and easy to enter, the queen on her return to the hive will have difficulty in locating it readily. I have witnessed queens returning many times, and when I used an inferior type of block, the queen, after trying in vain to find the entrance, would go to another nucleus and try there.

The one that has given me perfect satisfaction is made to slope towards the entrance so that, if a bee alights within a few inches of it, the block guides her directly in. When the young bees fly out for the first time, they have no trouble in finding the entrance at once. Three nails are driven through the block from the upper side so that the points are barely exposed. When it is desired to confine the bees, as is necessary when forming nuclei, the block is placed over the entrance and pressed down. The nail-points catch in the wood so that the block cannot be pushed away by the bees. When they are first released, this may be moved enough to give an entrance just large enough for one bee to pass, and later it may be moved to allow the full entrance. In this small opening a single bee will stand guard and is able to keep off all oncomers in a manner similar to that of the Spartans at the Pass of Thermopylae.

Shade.

Shade is a very important item with nuclei. This is true in a greater or less degree, depending upon the style of cover in use. We use the deep telescope cover which shades nearly the entire side of the nucleus. In addition, the cover has an inner lining of thin boards with cleats on both sides so that there is a double air space, one above this inner cover and one below. Very little difference is noted in the behavior of the bees in such nuclei whether they are placed in the sunshine or in the shade. On the hottest days, however, the bees cluster out less where in the shade.

In case a single cover is used, shade is a necessity. Years ago when we used the baby nuclei, some were in the sunshine and many cells did not hatch; and when they did, many of the virgins were small, dark and inferior. A grove is the best shade, and if the trees are far apart to admit the sun in spots, it is all the better, for on dark days one can step out into these lighter spots to examine the combs for eggs, etc. In case the thermometer does not go above ninety degrees, the telescope cover with two dead air spaces gives perfect results.

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Achord queen rearing apiary.

VIRGIN OR CELL INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER XVI.

A number of methods are used to get the virgin queen safely into the nucleus in which she is to lay after mating. One is by allowing the queen in the cell which is kept in a strong colony for incubation to emerge in a nursery cage. I used that method for several years, but have discarded it since I could not get so good, vigorous queens in that manner. I found there are two reasons for this. One is because the bees are unable to cluster closely around the cells in order to keep the temperature right, and the result is faulty incubation of the tender pupa. This defect manifests itself in two ways, by smaller queens and darker queens. If the cells are kept too cold, it makes the queens dark. Sometimes in early spring the cells were a little below the proper temperature, in which case no harmful effect was noted but the queens were darker in color. When they emerged in the nursery cages and the weather was cold they were both dark and small, and a number of the cells did not hatch. Now, in theory, if the cells are placed in an upper story over a strong colony, the temperature will be the same as though no cage is used. But if the bees are ventilating the hive or fanning to evaporate the nectar or syrup, a current of air is blowing through the hive. If the bare cell is in the hive the bees cluster tightly around it, thus protecting it from air currents and keeping it at just the right temperature; but if the cell is in a cage, the bees pay no attention to it whatever, so that the cool current of air blows right though the cage and chills the cell.

The second reason why too many inferior queens are reared when the nursery cage is used, is because the new virgin does not receive the proper feeding when she first emerges, and this at the time that she most needs abundance of food of the right kind. When she emerges in the cage she has to depend upon the candy that is placed there. Sometimes she eats enough of this to keep her alive, and sometimes she perishes from an enforced hunger strike. Sometimes the bees feed the queens through the wires, and sometimes they do not. I have noticed some peculiar traits of the bees in this connection. They occasionally cluster around one cage and give that virgin all the attention in their power while they are balling another cage, and probably the rest are ignored altogether. I presume they had agreed to accept that one queen as their own and let all the rest go hang.

That the virgin does not receive the proper food and care while in the nursery cage and that her development is retarded, I have proved many times. As we know, seven to eight days usually pass from the time a virgin emerges from the cell until her mating flight. I noticed in many cases that a longer period elapsed before the virgin mated. Usually, in using the nursery cage, the virgin mated eight days from the time she was released from the cage, that is, the virgin remained in the cage three days; then it was eleven days from the time she emerged from the cell till she mated. The time spent in the nursery cage seems time lost as far as development is concerned. In many cases these queens never turned out to be first-class queens. When they are released from the nursery cage as soon as they emerge, not so much damage is done, but even then they frequently suffer on account of improper incubation at the time that Nature is putting the finishing touch on the pupa. Some had legs that were paralyzed or withered and wings underdeveloped.

Moreover, I noticed that the young virgin seemed to like the dried-up royal jelly that remained in the cell from which she emerged. She would eat it all, notwithstanding the fact that she had nice candy made out of powdered sugar and honey. Sometimes the queen would burrow into the bottom of the queen-cell and die there. From these observations I reasoned that the virgin needs royal jelly, and the only satisfactory way for her to get it is to have it fed to her by the nurse bees. I then conducted some experiments along this line. A number of cells were caged, and a number from the same grafting were given direct to nuclei. Those emerging in the nursery cages were introduced to nuclei in the same cage from which they emerged, taking about three days for the introduction. All from the cell-introduced lot with one exception were laying before the first from the cage-introduced lot. A number of experiments of similar nature were carried on, and all showed conclusively that the queens were injured by remaining in the cages at this time. So we can lay it down as a safe rule that in order to get the best results the virgin must emerge among nurse bees in order that they may give her the proper food and care. In an article in the American Bee Journal, I gave my experience with the nursery cage, and in a footnote Editor C.P. Dadant stated, "The editor applauds with both hands at these conclusions, for he had also tried the queen nursery years ago and did not like it." With the backing of such an acknowledged authority as Mr. Dadant, I fee sure of my ground in this connection.

The Cell Protector a Hindrance.

The cell protector was discarded for the same reason. The bees cannot properly care for the cell when it is in the protector. However, this is not so noticeable as in the case where the cell is caged; but there is little, if anything, to be gained by using the protector. It is a known fact that bees will accept a cell much more readily than they will accept even a newly emerged virgin. That being true, if they would not accept an unprotected cell, they would not accept the virgin when she emerged. In fact, from several experiments I am convinced that the cell protector is a hindrance rather than a help. At one time we introduced on hundred bare cells and one hundred with protectors. When we came to look for the virgins, we found about 30 per cent more in the nuclei where the bare cells had been given. Of course, they did not tear down the protected cells, but they killed the virgins as soon as they emerged.

The unemerged queens at this age are very tender and should be handled with the greatest care and should not be away from the bees longer than is absolutely necessary. A number of years ago I used to lay the cells on their sides in a box containing cotton batting. I found that, if they were left in this box for any length of time, many queens emerged from them would be crippled. Their legs and wings in particular would suffer. In conversing with Mr. Snodgrass of the Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D.C., he informed me that, if the pupa lay on its side for any length of time, the circulation stopped, which results in injury to the parts affected. However if the virgin will emerge within twenty-four hours, no harm will come if a cell is laid on its side for a short time. Keep covered from cool air or hot sun and by careful handling and maintaining as nearly as possible the temperature of the bee cluster it's perfect development is quite certain.

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Fig. 1.-Larvae just as they came from the swarm box.

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Fig. 2.-Cells are flooded with royal jelly.

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Fig. 3.-Just as the bees were capping the queen cells.

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Fig. 4.-Day after cell was capped.

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Fig. 5.-Changing into a pupa.

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Fig. 6.-Royal jelly is dry and brown.

This series of photographs shows the development of the queen from the grafting up to the time when the queen emerges. In Figure 1 you will note that the cells are remodeled to suit the bees. Wax was added by the bees, showing they were secreting it profusely. The bottom of each cell is covered with royal jelly. Thus in the twenty-four hours of confinement in the swarm box, the bees gave the larvae the proper send-off. In order to give a better view of the larva one cell was torn open.

Figure 2 pictures the cells one day later, after they had been in the finishing colony for twenty-four hours. The marvelous growth of the larvae in this length of time will be noted; but when we notice how the cells are flooded with royal jelly, the larvae really have no excuse for not growing. Figure 3 was taken just as the bees were capping the queen-cells. The larvae are getting too fat to curl up in them any more, so are beginning to lengthen out a trifle. The two end cells are already capped. Figure 4 shows the larva the day after the cell was capped. The royal jelly is still white and soft and would be in good condition to use in grafting, if thinned slightly with water. In figure 5 we see the larva changing into a pupa. The royal jelly is drying up and getting darker in color.

The next stop in the formation of the queen is shown in Figure 6. The change from the larva into the pupa is so very rapid as to seem marvelous. This takes place in twenty-four hours and in that short time, head, legs and short wings are formed so it appears a fully developed queen with the exception of wings and color. At first this pupa is exceedingly soft. While handling one, I accidentally dropped it on my foot. It splattered out much like a drip of clabbered milk, and no form of the pupa could be found. The pupa remains in this form with very little change, as far as appearances are concerned, for about seven days; but it becomes firmer and harder continually during that period. This picture was taken the tenth day after grafting, therefore one can see the condition of the pupa at the time the cells are to be handled. The royal jelly is dry and brown as shown in the top of the cell where it dried, leaving a space in the top of the cell. Where it is found necessary to handle the cell containing the tender pupa any time before the tenth day after grafting, great care must be exercised in handling it, as mentioned elsewhere, or crippled queens will result.

When the handling of cells before the tenth day after grafting is necessary, they should be placed in holes in a block to keep them right side up. As we handle them only on the tenth day, such care is not necessary. We place a cushion in the right end of the hive-seat, on which the cells are laid. A cover is tacked on it in such a way as to keep off the sun's rays and yet be easily raised when getting the cells Crippled queens are practically unknown to us since using this method.

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Can be easily raised when getting the cells.

CELL INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER XVII.

To establish nuclei and introduce cells to them is our next step in queen-rearing. Let us consider the subject a little. Two features in queen rearing have always been difficult; first getting the newly grafted cells accepted by the bees; and second, some safe and satisfactory method of installing the queen-cell or virgin in the nucleus.

This first difficulty, the manner of getting cells accepted, has already been described, and by carefully following the directions given one should have no trouble in having excellent cells built in abundance, so that the largest and best only are kept; but when all goes as it should, every cell will be so abundantly supplied with royal jelly that there is little choice. Having mastered this point in queen-rearing, let us now pass to the feature that has in the past been extremely difficult, and at certain times of the year has seemed insurmountable.

However, few things on earth are impossible if we know the underlying principles, find the cause of failure and apply the remedy. In cases of difficulty in any walk of life, even queen-rearing, a splendid motto to adopt is, "There is a way." When things do not go as we would have them, think of this motto, and proceed to find the way. There must surely be a way in this case, I figured.

In the past we have been led to understand that the reason why bees tear down cells given them is due to the fact that the cells are strange, with an odor different from that of the cells reared in the colony. Recognizing this, the bees proceed to rear them down. Now many things pointed to this belief. For instance when a cell was given to a colony, they would tear it down while at the same time they were building cells of their own; and many times when they had cells of their own, they would leave them unharmed and immediately tear down any strange cell given them. The natural deduction, therefore, was that they destroyed the cell given them because it was not their own. If such were the case, we could expect little relief, and our motto, "there is a way," would not apply.

Every spring when establishing nuclei there was a regular epidemic of cell-destroying. They would tear down cells as fast as given to them until they ran into laying workers. If virgins were introduced to them a little better progress was made, where we used our Push-in Cage. However, I was thoroughly convinced if the very best queens were to be reared, the virgin must not only emerge among the bees but these bees must be anxious to receive that queen in order that they may not injure her, but on the contrary, receive her gladly with outstretched tongues and feed her abundantly that she may develop into a large prolific queen, the kind we all should strive to produce if we are to get big yields of honey.

So the question of how to get the bees to do our will in this respect was a puzzler. It was not practical to introduce the cell in a cage as we would a queen. If what we had been taught was true, that it was because it was a strange cell, there seemed little hope of overcoming this trait of bee nature; and to set about to overcome this rule seemed very difficult since there apparently was nothing to vie us a clue. There seemed to be no starting point.

In the spring of 1922, although there was a light stimulative honey flow, the bees were the worst at tearing down cells in all my beekeeping experience. I had planned to put out six hundred nuclei in two weeks, forming one hundred and fifty at a time to conform to our program. When the first one hundred and fifty were put out, nearly all the cells given to them at the time of forming the nuclei were destroyed. The second batch of cells suffered a similar fate, and there was no use in forming more nuclei as the first would not accept cells. The mystery as to why they tore down the cells was very impressive, to say the least.

I sat down under a tree to see if I could think out "the way." I carefully went over the experiences of the past fifteen years and finally the truth began slowly to unravel before me. I remembered that upon numerous occasions I had taken out cells from one of the finishing colonies, and having had no immediate use for them, had returned to another finishing colony, paying no attention about putting them back in the one from which they were taken. I recalled that, during those years, hundreds of bars of cells had been placed back into finishing colonies strange to them, and yet in all that time, to my knowledge, not one single cell had ever been destroyed. Evidently, then the reason the bees destroyed cells was not because the cells were strange. What, then, was the reason?

What was there about those strong colonies that had a prolific laying queen confined to the lower story that caused them to accept strange cells without question, while the nuclei would tear them down as fast as given them? Why did a strong queenless colony that had been used to finish cells accept a dozen bars of cells and never tear down a single one? Plainly, the fact that it was a strange cell had little or nothing to do with it. Plainly, it was the condition of the colony.

If this was true, what were those conditions and could they be duplicated in the nuclei? I became quite excited over the proposition. The only difference in the condition of the finishing colony and that of the nuclei was that the colony was being fed liberally while the nuclei were not; for even when artificial feeding was not resorted to, the strong colony was gathering enough from the fields to bring abundance to the colony, while the nuclei, being weaker in field bees, were not getting enough for the fields to supply them and were consequently drawing on the stores present in the combs. Could it be that the secret of successful cell acceptance was merely a matter of feed? I would soon find out.

I went to a number of colonies from which I expected to take brood for forming nuclei and gave them ten pounds of thick sugar syrup late in the evening, repeating it the second night, and you can imagine with what eagerness I awaited the results. I then formed nuclei in exactly the same manner as before. Presto! Practically every cell was accepted!

In my previous attempts at introducing cells to nuclei, out of one hundred, eight-nine cells were destroyed; while after feeding, only four were destroyed out of one hundred. Yes, "There is a way." To be sure that the conditions as regards the honey flow had not changed, I then formed some nuclei without feeding and some with feeding the results obtained were in every way similar to those of my first experiment.

My next step was to see if this would be as entirely successful with the established nuclei in getting them to accept cells. To our great delight we found this also worked to perfection. When ready to give a cell, we took a two-quart Mason jar with a perforated lid and shook about half a hint of syrup into the combs. We found there was practically no loss of cells; and that it was not necessary to have any honey in the frames when forming nuclei. We found that another admirable feature resulting from this feeding of the nuclei is that the bees are put in a condition to give the newly emerged virgin the very best of care. As a consequence they feed her as soon as she emerges so that she develops as rapidly as though reared in a populous colony during swarming time. Virgins thus reared mature, mate and thus begin laying one or two days sooner than in nuclei where no feeding is practiced.

This method of feeding to prevent cell-destruction is practiced at any time during the year when trouble is experienced in cell-acceptance. After a nucleus is established and a good honey flow is on, feeding is discontinued. Even during a honey flow, when a nucleus is first established, feeding is necessary. In this case the fielders return to their old house, leaving a lot of emerging brood. The bees left in the nucleus can get no honey from the field until they are older; therefore the nucleus bees are hungry, and will destroy cells in their desperation. Feeding prevents this. Our nuclei are now equipped with division-board feeders, having a capacity of about one quart. These are filled with syrup the day before giving them the ripe queen-cell. Seldom indeed is a cell torn down.

WHY NUCLEI TEAR DOWN CELLS.

CHAPTER XIII.

Now that we have worked out this system whereby the cells are accepted in a satisfactory manner, let us ask the bees some questions to find out why they do things just as they do.

In the first place, when do they have cells in their colonies if left to their own devices? The greatest number of cells is found when the colony is preparing to swarm. And what are the conditions within the hive at this time? While there are a number of conditions that we cannot well duplicate in the nucleus, such as lots of bees and brood in all stages, yet there is one important feature-plenty of feed. Some nectar is coming in from the fields, the nurse bees are feeding the larvae, and all bees have an abundance of food. When in this condition they not only build cells of their own but will tolerate other cells if given to them. When preparing to swarm, the bees with ripe cells of their own will never tear down strange cells given them; but, let a rain come up and the weather turn cold so that no nectar comes in from the field, they begin tearing down cells whether their own or strange ones.

Now notice one point very carefully. They tear down the more mature cells first. Their instinct seems to lead them to realize that, if they tear down all the cells, they would have to start all over again and build from the bottom up, in case the weather turned warm, and nectar again came in so that they wish to swarm. If only the advanced ones were torn down, they would be retarded merely a few days. This occurs only occasionally during swarming season, but is almost invariably the rule when bees are superseding their queen. I have noticed many times during supersedure that the advanced cells are destroyed while new ones are still being started. The weather or nectar secretion seems to influence them in this respect.

This instinct, therefore, explains why, when we gave cells to nuclei, they tore ours down while at the same time they were building cells. They tore ours down because ours were advanced, and not because they were strange cells. If you wait until a nucleus has ripe cells of it's own, you can give it a strange ripe cell, and the bees will accept it without question. Many times when conditions are unfavorable, finishing colonies will tear down the cells they themselves have built. A heavy feeding will stop this destruction.

Therefore, we can accept as a rule of the bees that they will not tolerate cells when they are hungry; but, if they are lavishly fed either from a natural honey flow or by receiving sugar syrup, they will tolerate and accept cells. Moreover, there are some less important conditions that render cell acceptance certain. There should be capped brood in the nuclei and, if possible, brood in all stages; but, if these conditions are not present, a heavy feed will offset the lack of the former to a high degree. When there is no brood, cell acceptance is more uncertain.

You ask, "How about laying workers?" Well, we were talking about the laws that govern bees, and these do not apply to laying workers as the laying worker is a Bee Bolshevik and knows no law. However, a Bolshevik is more amiable on a full stomach; so some laying workers can be made to get into line by feeding, but it is better to give them a frame of emerging brood, after which a hearty feed gets them ready to accept the cell.

If this idea of feeding is applied to the different phases of beekeeping, the same results may be obtained during a dearth of pasture as during a honey flow. Many have observed how much more successful queen introduction is during a honey flow than at other times. Since discovering that feeding prevents cell-destruction, I have recommended to those having trouble introducing queens that they feed the colony heavily while the cage is in the hive. Several have reported that this gives as good results as they can get during a honey flow.

Some time ago the honey method of queen introduction was advocated. The plan was to daub the queen with honey and run her in. Some reported success; others, failure. Those who poured a pint or more of honey on the bees and the queen had better results. Now, it was not the daubing of the queen that helped; it was the feeding. In other words, for successful introduction, duplicate a honey flow by heavy feeding. The feeding should be done at night to prevent robbing.

In feeding with the division-board feeder it is necessary to keep the nuclei in strong condition, for robbers are always hanging around ready to pounce upon the nuclei if opportunity offers. By providing ventilation in the bottom of the nucleus hive and contracting the entrance to one beespace, and keeping it strong in bees, no serious trouble is caused by robbers. Sometimes, when they are exceptionally bad, we close the entrance entirely. In this way all the robbers that get on the combs are shut in the nuclei and can not go back home to spread the news that free plunder is to be had. Consequently, other robbers are not sent out to hunt the source of supply and marauding expeditions are restricted. After fifty or twenty minutes, the entrances are opened, when the robbers that were trapped rush for home. The nuclei are by this time reorganized and able to stand off all oncomers. In feeding either nuclei or cell-building colonies, it is necessary that they have some empty comb in which to deposit the food, for if all available space is occupied by stores they will fill up on this and become lazy and are easily robbed out.

FORMING NUCLEI.

CHAPTER XIX.

Let us now take up our program where we left off. Before forming nuclei, we should have the nucleus hives in their places on the stands where they are to remain through the season. Ours are placed in rows running between the colonies, which are set four in a group for wintering in the quadruple cases. There is a big advantage to having the nuclei among the colonies, for much time is saved in drawing brood from the colonies, getting cells from the finishing colonies, etc. Again, when the virgins take their mating flight they have to run a gauntlet of drones, and mating is made certain. In addition all virgins are mated to your own drones, eliminating any chances of mating to drones in nearby apiaries or with drones from colonies in trees.

I do not believe queens go so far to mate as is generally supposed. I believe that Nature intended that the virgin should mate with drones from her own colony, for you will notice that bees never kill off their drones when they have a virgin in their hive. In their natural state, where bees are in trees, in many cases they are from half a mile to two miles from their nearest neighbor. What chance would a virgin have in mating with drones at such distances? Usually in the afternoon the young bees, the virgin queen and the drones all come out for exercise, and while circling within one or two hundred feet of the hive the virgin mates. Nature has put a check on injurious inbreeding, in that the drone that mates with the queen immediately dies, and if there should be an after-swarm the accompanying virgin would mate with a different drone.

Formerly, when forming nuclei, we used to place a number on a wheelbarrow and take them to the hives, fill them and then set them on their stands. I prefer now to place them on their stands and take frames of brood to them. Right here let me mention two articles of yard furniture quite necessary to the comfort of the queen-breeder-the hive-seat and the comb-box. One should have a hive-seat large enough to accommodate the necessary equipment. In addition I certainly recommend the comb-box, one of the handiest conveniences about any apiary. This box is made of half-inch lumber and is large enough to hold seven frames. It has a bee-tight cover and can be used to store empty combs or frames of honey and to carry frames of brood and bees to form nuclei or put into the finishing colonies.

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Hive-seat to accommodate the necessary equipment.

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The comb-box one of the handiest conveniences.

Into each nucleus, as it rests upon the stand where it is to be for the summer, we put a narrow division board feeder, which holds about one quart of syrup when full. We have found these much better than the two quart Mason jar with perforated lid, which we first used, for, while these jars give good results during a robbing season the robbers are apt to become a nuisance to the nuclei. This nucleus feeder measures 3/8 inch, inside measurement, is made out of ¼-inch material, and is the regulation size of a division-board. This feeder should be filled the day before a cell is given, and when this plan is followed there is practically no loss of cells.

Two days before time to form nuclei and introduce our first cells, the colonies from which the frames of brood are to be taken should be fed liberally. Any feeder will do, but I prefer to fill their bottom-board feeders at night for two nights. This is necessary to put the bees in condition to ac