12 
important fact that their issuance is not consistent with the production 
of the most surplus honey, for the prevention of all after-swarming. 
Where an increase of colonies is desired, and in case no one can be 
near the apiary to care for natural swarms with clipped queens, some 
one of the artificial methods of forming new colonies may be advan- 
tageously employed. Natural swarming is, however, to be preferred 
to a poor system of artificial Increase. And no matter which of tlre 
artificial methods be adopted, it should be cautiously followed, lest, 
unfavorable weather appearing suddenly, considerable Jabor and 
expense be incurred to prevent disastrous results. It is also of prime 
importance not to weaken materially the gathering powers of strong 
colonies just at the opening of the harvest or during its progress; 
hence, whatever division takes place then must leave the field force 
—the gatherers, in one mass and in normal condition for work, that 
is, not discouraged by being queenless, and not overburdened by hav- 
ing brood without a sufficient number of nurse bees to care for it. 
A plan which fulfills these conditions is the following: From a popu- 
lous colony a comb or two with adhering bees and the queen may be 
taken and placed in a new hive, which, when other frames with starters 
have been added, is then to be put on the stand of the populous colony 
from which the combs were taken. The removed colony is to be taken 
a rod or more from its old stand, so that the flight bees returning from 
the field will enter the newly established colony. The old colony may 
be given a laying queen or a mature queen cell a day or two later. 
This finishes the work in a short time. A better plan, though not so 
quickly completed, is to take from the populous colony only enough 
bees and combs to make a fair nucleus on a new stand. A queen is 
easily and safely introduced into this nucleus, or a queen cell is readily 
accepted a day or two later. As soon as the young queen has begun 
egg laying, combs of emerging brood may be added from time to time. 
These may be obtained from any populous colonies whose tendency to 
swarm it is desirable to check, the bees adhering to them when they 
are removed being in all instances brushed back into their own hive. 
With fair pasturage the nucleus will soon be able to build combs and 
may be given frames of comb foundation, or, if the queen be of the 
current year’s raising, frames with narrow strips of foundation as 
guides may be inserted, since all combs constructed by the nucleus will 
be composed of worker cells. 
PREVENTION OF SWARMING. 
Under the conditions most frequently occurring, however—that is, 
where it is not practicable to be present at all times during the swarm- 
ing season, or where the desired number of colonies has been attained— 
a system of management is advisable which in general contemplates 
the prevention, in so far as possible, of the issuance of swarms with- 
out at the same time interfering with honey storing. The following 
