[Footnote 9: By taking brood for rearing queens only from such stocks as exhibit the greatest industry, mildness of disposition, vigor in withstanding the cold, etc., I find lam able to greatly improve the desirable qualities of my bees from year to year. This systematic course of treatment has produced swarms possessing very valuable characteristics. It is surprising to note the difference in profits and ease of management, between bees that have always been left to take their own course, and such as have had their most desirable traits cultivated and improved to the greatest possible extent for a term of years. The difference is almost as marked as between the savage in his native wilds, and the most intelligent and highly educated member of society.] Here let me caution bee keepers never to attempt to introduce a queen into a full stock of bees, until she has begun to lay. A young queen, not fecundated, will be destroyed in nine cases out of ten, in spite of every precaution. Before introducing a queen, the old queen in the stock, if any exists, must be taken away. Make your search for her in the middle of the day, as at that time most of the workers are away. Use but very little smoke, and that only at the entrance, as the bees should remain spread over the combs as evenly as possible. If you use much smoke they will rush to the bottom and the corners of the hive, and it is very likely the queen might seek a hiding-place with the others, where you could not find her. If not disturbed, the queen will be found in the comb among the bees. When ready to proceed, having smoked them lightly at the entrances (a puff at each entrance is sufficient,) lift out the comb carefully, avoiding any jar, and look them over for the queen. It is said the Italian queens are more readily found than the natives, but I could never see any difference. Hold the frame up in front of your face, so as to have a good view, and look each comb over carefully till you find the queen. When found, remove her. Always return the combs so they will occupy the same position as before. As soon as the queen is removed, and the bees are aware of their loss, they will usually commence to rear another queen from the worker eggs to take her place. To make a sure thing of it, they often start to produce a half-dozen or more.