45

THE HONEY-BEE IN NEW ZEALAND. 43

you may know by the cells being of a larger size ; for
there is no lack of these non-producers, but terrible
consumers, in every large apiary, during the breeding
season; but keep them up to feed young chickens or
turkeys, who relish them highly. Returning a box with
some brood comb in it to its own position has this good
effect, in that it induces the bees to take immediate posses-
sion of the box so returned. They cluster upon the broad
comb, and straightway proceed to fill the vacant space
with honey comb. Even if there is no brood to return,
I generally tempt the bees to re-enter the top box by
placing in it a piece of honey comb. And here is the
great advantage of having all your boxes made to the
same guage ; the bars will then fit all your hives
indifferently, and you may transfer one with a piece of
comb attached to it, from a full hive to an empty box
which you wish the bees to occupy.
After the breeding season is over, that is about the
end of February or March, the bees will fill the empty
brood comb with honey, and when the cells are all
sealed over, will often almost entirely desert the richly
stored box, which may then be taken with very little
trouble. During the breeding season, the loss of the
queen, should any accident happen to her during the
operation, is easily supplied. There will generally be