The Bee-keeper who keeps himself familiar with the internal economy of his hives will often find numbers of Queen cells in swarming time; the first Queen who hatches, generally destroys the rest, but if Queens are wanted, the cells as sealed over may be transferred to nuclei,or to other hives, where a Queen is required. Care should be taken not to bruise the cell, as the contained pupa is very delicate, and it must not be allowed to become chilled; so the more quickly all operations can be completed the better. The cell should be cut out with a triangular piece of comb attached, and inserted, mouth downwards, in a similar aperture in the selected comb. Before removing Queen cells, it is as well to wait until they are nearly mature, which may be known by the cell having the wax removed from it by the Bees, so as to give it a brown appearance. _King's Bee-keepers' Manual_ describes the following method of procedure pursued in America to form nuclei:"Form a nucleus from an Italian or other populous "stock, by blowing a few whiffs of smoke into the " entrance, and, opening the hive, select a frame of "comb containing capped brood, but especially plenty "of eggs and young larvae. After looking this over "carefully, lest the old Queen be removed, place it, with "its adhering Bees, in the empty hive, and next to it "another comb containing honey, which will afford "protection to the brood and food for the Bees, as "many of the old Bees will return to the parent "stock; give the nucleus hive at least a quart of Bees, " and set it on a new stand, two or three rods distant. "Contract the entrance so that but one or two Bees "can pass at the same time, and set a feeder on the "frames or sponge, filled with sweetened water, will " supply their wants until the young Bees go to work in "their new location. In place of the combs removed "from the parent stock, set in empty frames with a "full one between. If the frames are put near the "centre the old will increase all the faster, as the "Queen will fill the new comb with eggs as fast as it "is built. The removal of the two frames stimulates "the Bees to great activity by giving them room to "work, and detaches just Bees enough to prevent "their clustering idly about the entrance. The nucleus " will construct Queen cells, and rear a Queen as well "as whole swarms. Besides, the Queen is easily found "among so few Bees. We now wait until the tenth or "eleventh day from the time the nucleus was formed " when we open it, and with a sharp thin-bladed pocket-" knife, cut out all the Queen cells _but one_, and use "them immediately ; in forming other nuclei, by "taching one of them to a frame of comb, and Bees" taken from an old stock as before described, and placed "in an empty hive. The beginner should remove but "one at a time, returning the frame from which it was "taken to its place in the hive, until the royal cell is "adjusted in its new location. When practicable, leave "about an inch square of comb attached to the cell, "and upon taking the comb or brood from the old stock "make an opening among the eggs and larvae, where "the Bees will be sure to cluster upon it, and keep it "warm. If the first nucleus was formed from the only "Italian stock in the yard, and more Queen cells are "wanted, remove every Queen cell from it, and add "another comb of eggs, and brood from its parent stock. "But when no more Queen cells are needed, leave one "to hatch, and as by this time the brood will all be "capped over, the Bees will be liable to follow the "young Queen on her excursion to meet the Drones. "To prevent this, exchange one of the combs for one "containing eggs and young larvae, when forming the "other nuclei. Young Queens will return, unless lost by "birds or other casualties, to which all Queens are "once exposed. Such loss is easily ascertained among "so few Bees, and we have only to insert another Queen "cell, adding a comb containing eggs and brood, and "repeat the trial."