82 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Oct., 



be actuated either by a sensation which has in 

 view the welfare of all, or by the love of pos- 

 terity. Whether they construct cells or gather 

 a harvest of honey, it is never directly for 

 themselves. This may appear somewhat para- 

 doxical to those who have remarked that during 

 the winter they consumed what they stored the 

 previous summer. Rut the experiments just 

 detailed show, that the moment they lose the 

 hope of a numerous progeny, they cease to 

 store the food which is necessary for their own 

 preservation. " The love of offspring appears, 

 therefore, to be the all-moving principle." 

 Swammerdam was of this opinion ; and all who 

 study the habits of the bee attentively must 

 agree with him. Renedictr. 

 [to be continued.] 

 *-* 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Uatiiral vs. Artificial Swarms. 



In approaching this distinction we feel that 

 we are treading on delicate ground, we have no 

 new theory to advocate, no new project to sug- 

 gest, but in answer to a call from one of your 

 correspondents, that we who have had experi- 

 ence should instruct those later engaged in the 

 science, (I cannot forget the fact that bee-keep- 

 ing is a science,) I have concluded to give my 

 practice in the past, and I might preface by say- 

 ing that it has always been successful, at least 

 to such a degree that I greatly prefer an artificial 

 to a natural swarm. 



I would like to impress upon the mind of our 

 fellow beekeepers the great importance in this 

 branch of our science of " making haste slowly." 

 Has not Mr. Hosmer misguided ourbee-keeijing 

 public? I fear so at least. But to the question. 

 My practice for years past is this, (and unless 

 more fully educated or better advised I shall 

 still adhere to it,) that when my stocks have 

 sufficient stores to cast natural swarms, I take 

 from them three or five combs furnished with 

 brood and eggs, place them in one side of a 

 new hive, carefully brushing off every bee, then 

 along with them I take two or three empty 

 brood combs, I then go to another strong stock 

 (I always operate about mid-day) and by feed- 

 ing them, or blowing smoke among them, induce 

 them to fly in great numbers, and when they are 

 in full flight I remove their hive to a new 

 location, and place in its stead the new hive 

 containing the brood and empty combs. This 

 is sufficient to secure a new and healthy swarm. 

 But to those who are so fortunate as to be able 

 to breed young queens, or to get early queen 

 cells, I have another word to say. Before you 

 place the new hive and brood on the stand of 

 the old colony take a sealed queen cell and 

 place it well among the brood combs, or better 

 still, take a jonng fertile queen and enclose her 

 in a wire cage between two of the brood combs, 

 leave her there for forty-eight hours (I insist 

 upon this length|of time except in the swarming 



season) and then liberate her among the bees. 

 This course will insure a strong stock, and from 

 such stocks ea7-ly made and properly tended, the 

 apiarian mav justly expect his greatest returns 

 of honey, this at least is my past experience. 



It will be observed at a glance that the num- 

 ber of frames written of do not fill the hive ; 

 this is just what we want. A division board 

 has been insisted upon, this is good enough in 

 its place, but permit me to suggest what I have 

 found better suited to my purpose. Take a 

 piece of heavy sheeting the exact length of the 

 frames, and with this enclose the five 

 frames, (this we deem sufficient for a young 

 swarm,) and after the sheeting is well placed, 

 take an empty frame and cover it carefully with 

 the same sheeting, which place close to the in- 

 closure. Then close the hive and permit the 

 bees to work for three or four days, and if ready, 

 introduce more combs or empty frames between 

 full combs. In starting a new swarm always be 

 careful to elevate the rear end of the hive, when 

 new combs are to be built in empty frames, this 

 in most cases insures straight combs. 



In this connection, and nearly allied to it is 

 another matter upon which it might not be 

 amiss to say a word ; that is the safe introduc- 

 tion of queens. This year as early as the middle 

 of May I safely introduced four queens. My 

 experience in this case is easy both of explana- 

 tion and practice. I take a fertilized queen, 

 place her in a wire cage the end of which is 

 stopped with honey and pollen takeji from the 

 hive I toish to put her into, I place this cage at 

 the top of the frames between two of the strong- 

 est brood combs, I leave the cage in this position 

 for forty-eight hours and at the end of this time 

 if the bees have not already released her, I pro- 

 ceed as follows : Take a brood comb covered 

 with bees, set it on the outside of the hive, 

 remove the wax from the end of the queen cage 

 and liberate her among the bees. Should they 

 manifest any dislike to her, (which is not at all 

 likely,) they will cluster upon and try to smother 

 her, in this extreme case, have ready a basin of 

 water, throw the cluster into it and you can 

 easily catch and cage the queen, this precaution 

 will scarcely be necessary, if our instructions 

 are observed. "B." 



Beaver, June 5, 1873. 



However let your hives be rather too little, 

 than too, great, for such are hurtful to the in- 

 crease and prosperity of bees. If the hives be 

 too great, the bees will be more lazy, working 

 uncomfortably, because they dispair ever to fin- 

 ish and furnish their house ; but yet if there be 

 a competent number of bees, they will work in- 

 dustriously (though the vacinity be large) and 

 complete as much with combs as shall be suffi- 

 cient for them. But an over large hive is 

 prejudicial to their swarming. 



PURCHAS. 



