196 HONEY. 



honey, which they do as soon as the main apartment 

 of the hive is full, provided there is ample pasturage. 



If only one swarm increase is wanted from a hive 

 during a season, proceed as follows : on the fifth or 

 sixth day after a swarm issues from a hive, open it 

 and remove all the queen cells but one. A better 

 plan, however, is to procure a fertile queen, (from a 

 colony prepared for that purpose, as directed in Chap, 

 xvn) and introduce her into the hive that has sent 

 out the swarm ; this may be done at any time within 

 six days from the time the swarm leaves, at which 

 time all the queen cells should be removed, if wanted 

 for use. (If the queen cells are not removed, it is 

 possible thmt the queen so introduced would lead 

 another swarm.) This will effectually prevent after 

 swarming, at least for fifty days thereafter. 



But should an increase of two or more swarms or 

 colonies be wanted, then on the fifth or sixth day as 

 above, the combs and bees of the parent hive are to 

 be equally divided, one part being placed in a new 

 hive ; see that each have one embryo queen ; all 

 others are to be removed, else when they emerge, 

 there is danger of a swarm departing, although the 

 hive be not half full of comb or bees. These divis- 

 ions are to be managed as directed in the Chapter 

 on Formation of Colonies. 



There is no certain way to keep bees from swarm- 

 ing during the natural period thereof, but to divide 

 them just previous to their swarming, and remove the 

 supernumerary queen cells from the queenless divis- 



