HIVING OF SWARMS. 137 



eggs of moths and other insects, after which it 

 should be made perfectly dry. 



In the common straw-hive, two new sticks 

 placed across each other, at the second round of 

 straw from the bottom, will be useful to support 

 the weight of combs : the bees require no aid at 

 the top, to which they will themselves securely 

 attach the combs, as may be seen in hollow trees 

 where bees have taken up their abode. 



Dressing the insides of the hives is of doubtful 

 advantage. Some people rub the interior of the 

 hive with balm, bean-tops, fennel, &c. or smear 

 it over with cream and honey. Wildman strongly 

 reprobates this practice, as it gives the bees the 

 trouble of making the hive clean again. If any 

 thing be used, in compliance with custom, sugared 

 or honeyed ale is the most alluring. KEYS says 

 that a hive, containing old combs and dressed 

 with sugared. ale, will often decoy a swarm to 

 settle in it. HUISH recommends sprinkling the 

 interior of the hives with human urine ; which he 

 regards as a specific, on account of " its abound- 

 ing with sugar and salt, two substances of which 

 bees are particularly fond :" if such were the fact, 

 it w r ould I think, be more cleanly, and therefore 

 a preferable plan, to mingle those favourite articles 

 with a little ale or water for this purpose. Huish 

 himself recommends smearing the interior of the 

 hive with honey, when a swarm of bees settle in 



