AFTER-MANAGEMENT. 243 



swarm, leaving all the bees in their respective 

 hives. 



The advantages gained are as follows : the old hive 

 has a young queen that will not be fertile for eight 

 days, and as most of the brood have emerged by this 

 time, the combs remain empty during that period, 

 and much of it frequently for weeks, if the bees have 

 swarmed off bare. 



Forty days will elapse before there is any consid- 

 erable accession of numbers, as the product of the 

 young queen. This gives the moths a chance to 

 gain a firm foothold, if not prevented by the above 

 change or other special care. The first swarm, hav- 

 ing the old queen, the newly built combs are supplied 

 with eggs as fast as built, and by the sixteenth day, 

 there is considerable sealed brood. Two or three 

 combs of the most advanced being given to the old 

 hive, soon add to their numbers ; (these new combs 

 must be handled carefully, as the least jar or turn 

 from a perpendicular position will loosen them from 

 their fastenings) the empty combs, being placed in 

 the hive having the fertile queen, are soon replenished 

 with eggs, which in due time become bees so that 

 both hives are benefitted by the interchange of comb. 



A further gain is had from this practice : the bees 

 are healthier, and winter better on old comb than 

 they do on new. 1 will again repeat the admonition 

 not to place more brood in a hive than there are bees 

 to cover it, so as to prevent a chill. 



