If many queens are produced, they are principally bred for presents to other lovers of bees, or for sale to extend the race, and by the art to raise queens early it is in your power quickly to multiply a favourite race of bees. We will now give a few hints how queens can be sent to distances.
For that purpose, take a box four inches square, in the lid of which make three or four incisions or cuts, to admit air to the bees. A piece of covered old honey is loosely wrapt up in blotting-paper and nailed firmly to the bottom of the box. That the nail may not pass through the honey and the honey gets loose and smother the bees, it is well to put a piece of pasteboard or leather, of about two-inch square under the head of the nail, as a lining. Then put the queen with a handful of her own people (500 or 1000) in the box and nail it down; then wrap a loose piece of linen round the box, so that the bees have sufficient air, but that the light is somewhat interrupted, to keep them quiet on the journey. The blotting-paper must be wrapt round the honey in such a manner that the honey shows at one end that the bees can gradually eat it up. If, neither blotting-paper be used, nor the honey nailed down, there would be risk that the honey rolled about during the journey and smothered the bees, or run out of the comb and drown the bees in it. The blotting-paper takes up any honey run out, so that the bees can only gradually eat it up.
It must be well understood that a queen is not sent before she is impregnated, that is, until she has laid eggs. These boxes will stand a journey of ten days.
§ 19.
REMARKS ON UNITING BEES.
Another caution must be observed on uniting of two bee-colonies.
Bees are naturally avaricious and therefore permit every bee, even a stranger, laden with honey to enter. This is a hint, and advantage must be taken of this their passion.
Before two colonies are joined together, take care that the bees which are to be added are quite satiated with honey. It does not matter if both parties have been previously well fed, for then they are not so capable of beginning to fight.
Bees, well filled with honey are everywhere welcome, and when the bees have discharged their burdens in the cells they fraternise and forget all quarrels.
Honey is therefore a very good means of union. But to sprinkle the bees only with honey, or honey-water, produces just the contrary effect; they become irritated and impassioned and kill each other. If, therefore, you desire success, give them honey to their heart's content. If a hive is to be driven out, stop up loosely the principal hole, blow a little smoke into it, then turn it over and knock it gently for about ten minutes; the object will thus be gained, because the bees, anticipating the danger, will make haste to provide themselves with food for the journey. A bee can suck in double her weight in provision.