Such queen-cells are placed singly into very small boxes, if only of the size of two walnuts, and these boxes are put in any hive on a spot where a proper degree of warmth is developed, say, just above the little rods which is regarded by many bee-cultivators as the honey-room in the moveable box. There they can remain until wanted. That a small wire-grating is placed before the little box is understood, so that if a queen should creep out unexpectedly before required, the bees can feed her.
If the queen-cells should have sustained any little injury it must be patched again directly with a little wax. The best way is to warm a knife a little and to touch the cell slightly with it, the wax-cover is then sufficiently softened to repair the damage. Larger injuries cannot be remedied, and one cannot be too careful in cutting them out not to damage any of them.
§ 12.
QUEEN-BREEDING WITH BROOD-COMES.
A brood-comb may be taken from the mother-hive,[5] but always with the bees adhering thereto, and can be put in a breeding-box provided with honey and empty combs. This is placed in the room of a populous hive, to people it, and after the lapse of ten days the queen-cells are full and covered; they are cut out as stated before.[6]
[5] This is particular to be advised when there is only one Italian queen which must be preserved to breed drones.
[6] Sometimes the bees put their queen-cells together so close, and in groups, or opposite to each other, that often it is not possible to cut the cells for use without damaging them. These must be left, and watch must be kept for the eleven days, and, as soon a as young queen creeps out, she must be taken away, all, but the last yellow one which is left in the hive. If a piece of about an inch square is cut off, crossways, from below the edge of a young brood-comb full of grub-eggs, so that the liquid of the brood runs out, it generally causes the bees to fix their queen-cells on that spot in the best order.
§ 13.
ADDING OF QUEENS.
The adding of the queen to hives of other races is done like the adding of queen-cells. First, the hive is deprived of the queen, then the queen is put into the box with a little honey and two handfulls of her own bees, and the box is then placed in the desired hive. After four days it must be seen whether the black bees have commenced queen-cells. If they have not the little fly-hole is opened when the bees will unite and accept the queen. But if queen-cells are formed, it is a proof that the bees are not yet inclined to accept the new queen. All queen-cells must now be cut out, and wait a few days to make them feel quite forsaken, then the Italian may be let in and will then be friendly received.