208 ARTIFICIAL SWARMS. 



This table is probably not far from the truth ; but 

 in experiments to ascertain the fact with unquestion- 

 able correctness, it is very necessarv to take into the 

 account the state of the bees at the time when the cal- 

 culation is made. If they are alive, they weigh less 

 than when dead ; and if weighed immediately after 

 they have emigrated from the mother-hive, allowance, 

 to the amount perhaps of a fifth, must be made for the 

 honey and farina with which they are then loaded. 



On Artificial Swarms. Artificial swarming is not 

 generally practised in this country, owing probably 

 to the want of sufficient practical skill, in most of 

 those who apply themselves to Bee-husbandry. In 

 many cases, however, it might be had recourse to with 

 great advantage, and in some it is indispensable if it 

 is desired to reap the full benefit of the stock. It 

 saves the watching necessary in the case of natural 

 swarms ; and if conducted on right principles, renders 

 the artificial colony quite independent of the casualties 

 to which natural swarms are liable. Moreover, it 

 secures the multiplication of swarms in cases, where 

 if left to the natural process, there would be none. 

 Should a continued tract of bad weather take place 

 about the usual period of swarming, the old queen 

 would have time and opportunity to destroy all the 

 royal progeny, for the bees never oppose the queen 

 mother in such cases, and thereby entirely frustrate 

 the hope of multiplication by natural swarms. To 

 avoid this evil we must have recourse to artificial 

 swarming. The general period proper for the opera- 

 tion is about eight or ten days previous to the time 



