192 THE FARMER'S MANUAL. 



proprietors of Bees ; I would advise generally, that 

 the hives be watched from the 4th to the 12th day af- 

 ter they have cast their swarms, and if none appears 

 by that time, it may be concluded there will none ap- 

 pear. A second swarm is seldom worth preserving 

 Over the winter ; the stock of honey which it collects, 

 not being, generally, adequate to its support ; but if 

 two swarms, after the first, are thrown off, a junction 

 should be effected between them without delay. This 

 may be done by searching the hive of one of the 

 swarms, and removing the queen, and then imrnersing 

 the two swarms, so to be united, in pure water, or 

 water saturated with ale, sugar and honey, and plac- 

 ed in a tub for the purpose : when they are well mix- 

 ed together by stirring, I then strain out the Bees, by 

 passing the liquor through a sieve, and return both 

 swarms, so mixed, into one hive, and place it near the 

 fire ; they will soon begin to hum, and in one hour, 

 will be restored to life again ; no quarrel will ensue 

 upon this method. All other methods of joining 

 swarms, generally expose them to quarrels. Even in 

 this method, it is absolutely necessary that one of the 

 queens should be destroyed, or all will be quarrel. 

 Whenever the weather is rainy the next day after 

 hiving your Bees, it will become necessary to feed 

 them at evening, particularly if it should continue 

 rainy two or three days ; continue feeding at evening, 

 until the weather becomes fair, they will then visit 

 the fields, and supply themselves. Whenever you 

 have occasion to move the hive of the young swarm, 

 either for feeding, or otherwise, let it tie done very 

 gently, or the young and tender combs will be injur- 

 ed. It is always best to let them stand quiet for two 

 months, they are then solid and firm, and may be in- 

 spected with safety. The purest honey, called vir- 

 gin honey, is always found in the hives of the second 

 swarms. 1 have noticed the clustering of. the Bees 

 without the hive, as one of the signs of warming; 

 this sometimes arises from a want of room in the 



