108 



BEES. 



said to have completely fortified himself against poisons, by 

 oTadually imbuing- his system with them. 



3. Ado'pting- as a rule the non-disturbance in any serious 

 wav of your stock-hive, so that honey and brood sha 

 theve at least flourish together, when you think it is fi II 

 (a solid sound from the hive, and a great long-c ntinu d 

 huzz from the bees in answer to a tap, is good evidence of 

 that state) attach your side-box, open the communication, 

 find make the bees enter and leave by the entrance to the 

 side-box, which you will do by closing up the entrance to 

 the other at night when the bees are all at home. A little 

 piece of comb, fastened at the top of the side-box, may b 

 at once a useful hint and a temptation to the bees. This 

 box is to be kept solely for honey-combs by ventilation, 

 which prevents the queen from laying eggs in it. When 

 the heat in the side-box is 70°, you should admit air 

 through the top by means of a piece of tin pierced with 

 holes. A draught through the hive, from the entrance to 

 the roof, now takes place. Tliis must not be done until you 

 •see the bees have fairly passed the Rubicon, and have done 

 and ventured too much to be inclined to retreat to the stock- 

 hive. When the box is full you can take it away, and 

 replace it emptied, or by another, or by opening a commu- 

 nication to a similar side-box on the opposite side, as in Mr. 

 tjrrant's hive. The bees in it will soon flock to the queen 

 dn the parent hive. This arrangement prevents swarming, 

 or at least has a great tendency to prevent it; as the bees 

 have more room given to them just when they want it. It 

 also raises the stock itself to the highest state of prosperity, 

 as only the surplus honey is taken away, and the brood is 

 not interfered with. 



4. But if you wish to have an increase of stock without 

 the inconvenience of natural swarming, you may easily do 

 so by treating the side-box exactly the same as the chief 

 one, that is, by leaving* it unventilated. Brood, as well as 

 honey, will then be deposited in it, and you have only to 

 watch for a favourable opportunity of securing two stocks. 

 This should be a little before the natural period of swarm- 

 ing, of which the signs are, clustering on the outside, ac- 

 tivity and commotion among the drones, inactivity of the 

 workers, portentous silence in the hive in the day (during 



