ON BEES AMD HONEY. C3 



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 1 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. 1 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 

 keep her safe ; if not, I cut out the combs one by one, as she 

 does not always drop, but holds on the combs. After I have 

 found her I sweep the bees into a clean empty hive, and lay a 

 piece of paper or sheet of tin upon the hive, punched full of 

 small holes a sixteenth of an inch over ; then set the hive I 

 wish them to unite with, upon the paper or tin, and keep them 

 separate twenty-four hours, then draw the paper or tin out, and. 

 they will soon ascend and unite with the stock. In uniting 

 my weak swarms, as above described, I secure the strength of 

 my stocks, which having swarmed often in summer are weak 

 in bees, though heavy in honey. 



The health of my bees I consider very important. No one 

 can expect to have strong and healthy bees, unless they are 

 properly ventilated. Ventilation is important in the hot season 

 of the year, but not so important as in winter, as then a good 

 deal of steam rises from the breath of the bees, which, if it has 

 no way of escape, will settle on the top of the hive inside and 

 become water, and run down upon the combs and on the sides 

 of the hives, and freeze. Thus the bees are kept damp, and 



