194 THE HONEY-BEE. 



Foragers returning from the fields will, as in the 

 preceding case, reinforce the new colony, while the 

 stock, moved to a little distance, will soon repair the 

 loss of their queen, and hatch out young bees in place 

 of those transferred to another home. 



A fourth method is to take two combs from each 

 of several strong stocks, brushing off all bees with 

 a feather or goose-wing. Then placing the hive thus 

 filled with comb and brood, on the stand of a strong 

 stock, the returning bees will take to the home thus 

 presented to them, and will speedily raise a queen 

 for themselves from one of the many eggs con- 

 tained in the brood cells. The displaced hive must, 

 as in previous instances, be removed a few yards 

 from its old position. The reason for filling the 

 abode of the new community with frames of worker- 

 brood, is to prevent the bees from building drone- 

 comb, and raising males only, as they are apt to do 

 when they have to manufacture a queen, at least till 

 she is not only hatched but begins to lay eggs. 



There are three or four important precautions 

 which are to be remembered when making artificial 

 swarms. Firstly swarming should not be artificially 

 attempted till drones are tolerably numerous, unless 

 a fertile queen is to be given to the new colony 

 Secondly honey should be abundant when the. 

 swarm is made, unless a good deal is stored in the 

 combs removed. If syrup, however, be supplied, 

 all danger from scanty sources outside will be re- 

 moved. Thirdly swarms should be taken only from 

 the strongest stocks, otherwise both old and new 

 communities will be, perhaps irretrievably, ruined. 

 Fourthly it is an immense advantage to introduce 



