ESSEX SOCIETY. 19 



belief that there is in all our country towns, and in our cities 

 and villages, abundant pasturage still unoccupied ; that they in- 

 jure not the flowers and plants from which they collect their 

 stores, and in this respect are totally harmless ; and as they in- 

 volve but little expense, may become a source of considerable 

 income, particularly to a class of people needy and deserving. 



In behalf of the committee, 



TEMPLE CUTLER. 



Abraham Lord's Statement. 



My hives are made with a pane of glass in the back, to 

 ascertain the quantity of honey in store, and the strength of 

 the stocks of my bees, as it is sometimes the case, that after a 

 stock has thrown ofl* its first swarm, some accident happens to 

 the young queen, by which the stock is left without its leader. 

 As the old queen always leads ofl" the first swarm, the loss of 

 the queen may be ascertained in two weeks from the time the 

 first swarm left the hive. If they decrease, they have lost their 

 queen ; in this case, to save my stock, I unite to them a second 

 or third swarm, if I have them. To do this, I turn the hive I 

 wish to unite to them upon its top, then setting the stock hive 

 upon the one turned bottom up, I make them secure, that no 

 bees escape. They will soon ascend, and the stock will readi- 

 ly receive them with their queen. 



Young swarms that are not strong enough to stand the win- 

 ter, I unite with the parent hives. In doing this, I have a hive 

 the same size as that I intend to take, fixed bottom upwards ; 

 when this is ready, I light a piece of puff-ball as big as a hen's 

 egg, and as soon as it burns well I place it in a copper box full 

 of small holes with a pointed top, that the bees may not rest 

 on it in dropping. I then place the box in the hive that stands 

 upon its top, and the hive I wish to take, upon the one thus 

 turned upwards ; then tie a cloth round the two hives, that no 

 smoke escape, and the bees will soon drop. When they are 

 all down and quiet, lift the hive gently off, and turn the bees 

 that have fallen, upon a table ; then look for the queen bee, 

 which may be easily known by her length being much greater 

 than the working bee, with very short wings. If I find her, I 



