We must bear in mind that the great secret for the successful introduction of an alien Queen is to familiarize the Workers with her before giving them a chance of killing her, for though it is true, Bees, in the excitement of driving or swarming, may take a Queen then given and not discover an exchange has been made, and even when they have found themselves to be Queensland and all in consternation gladly accept a new sovereign, the experiment is too dangerous to risk without precaution. It will be at once perceived how, by the proper management of nucleus hives, enough Queens may be bred from one Ligurian to supply any number of hives, the only difficulty being to obtain pure impregnation ; and this where the Drones, either from one's own or neighbours' hives are English Bces, becomes difficult, and the chances are very much against it. Two or three plans may be adopted to secure this desirable result. Supposing one Ligurian stock is successfully established, Queens in nuclei should be raised ; and if the raising of Drones can be prevented in the other hives by cutting out all Drone comb, or the Drones captured as they leave the hive, then supposing the Ligurian stock has plenty of Drones, there is a chance of the Queen's mating with one of those ; but it is a poor chance should black Drones abound from neighbours' hives ; however, crossed or not, a young Queen should be placed at the head of each stock ; and next year (it having been abundantly proved that Drones are hatched from unimpregnated eggs) _all the Drones in the apiary will be pure Ligurians_. More Queens should then be reared, and (the chance of proper impregnation being now much increased) one should take the place of every Queen who is discovered to have been breeding mongrels. But even a mongrel stock is an improvement on the pure Blacks. Bces may be known to be mongrel if they are not all alike. Stocks of pure Ligurians vary in the brilliancy of their yellow bands, but all in the hive will be found to be alike, whilst the Bces of a crossed Queen will be found to vary, some with bright bands, others scarcely to be distinguished from Blacks. Plans have been practisedeither to breed Drones and young Queens earlier or later in the year than those naturally raised, and success is often attendant. In the first case, a hive should be selected towards the middle or end of March--the two central combs removed and _Drone_ comb substituted. The Queen will fill the cells and Drones be hatched in due course, by which time young Queens should be ready. If this be properly managed these Ligurians will be the only Drones about, and on the Queen's issuing they may probably be mated successfully; but the danger is the Drones and the Queens not issuing or meeting together; and if the Queen be not impregnated within three weeks of her birth she becomes a Drone-breeder. Of course if Queens and Drones be bred from selected Queens, in the autumn, after the natural bred Drones are killed, the same result may be obtained. Drones at this time are best obtained by depriving a hive, when full of Drones, of their Queen, when the former will be suffered to live; or putting at the head of a stock furnished with Drone comb an unimpregnated Queen who, of course, will breed Drones only. Mr. Cheshire suggests the following plan to increase the chances of pure impregnation: "The nucleus hive being complete " and its selected Queen cell inserted, place it as near "as possible to the stock containing the Drones which " is desired to mate with the maturing Queen. The "Apiarian's wishes in the matter will determine his "selection. If the. Ligurian be mainly prized for its " beautiful markings, the choice will probably fall " differently from what it may be if high fertility " be chiefly sought. If the hive admit of it, and one "nucleus only is available, it may be placed upon "the Drone containing stock, making the openings " of the two livces face opposite ways ; the Quecu " being duly hunched and the time for her flight " having arrived, he transfers the nucleus late in the " evening to a dark room or cupboard, having previously " closed the flight hole with perforated zinc ; the next " afternoon being so far advanced that Drones are, for " the most part, quietly resting from their midday " wanderings, the Drone containing hive is opened and " thoroughly warmed, diluted honey is sprinkled over " Bees and frames, the cover is replaced, and a food " bottle containing the before mentioned Bee delicacy " placed upon it. The nucleus is now brought from its " hiding place and positioned as before, care being taken " that the sun shines as fully as possible into the flight " hole. Let the nucleus now receive, by lifting carefully " the cover, a gentle libration of warm Bee nectar, and " shortly, in all probability, the Queen will issue to be " joined by one of the Drones, which, in large numbers, " will now be careing in merry mood around the " excited stock. Should she fail to come forth, the " operation must be repeated on the succeeding day."
TRANSFERRING COMBS AND BEES TO FRAME HIVES.