100 MANUAL OF APICULTURE. 



keepers to devise methods which would save their time and avoid as 

 far as possible the uncertainties connected with this feature of their 

 work. Where increase is desired the question is one of considerable 

 importance. In the more northern States, where the main honey yield 

 comes on suddenly and is abundant for a short period only, and swarm- 

 ing is confined mainly to a period of four to six weeks, or even to three 

 weeks if the colonies are of pretty uniform strength, this question has 

 less weight; but farther south, where the yield is more prolonged and 

 the period during which swarms are liable to issue is sometimes 

 extended over three or four months, it is of considerable moment, and 

 the bee master who intends to multiply the number of his colonies will 

 do well to follow some good system of control. 



DIVIDING. 



The simplest method of artificial increase is to lift from the populous 

 colony a portion of the combs, with adhering bees, and place them in 

 another hive near the parent colony, taking care that the part without 

 any queen should have a majority of the bees and should be on the 

 old stand. If a mature queen cell is at hand to give to this part a day 

 or two after the division, the new colony will soon have a laying queen, 

 should all go well. But this last point will need looking after ten days 

 or so later. Should a laying queen be at hand to supply to the queen- 

 less portion of the divided colony, the queen found in the hive at the 

 time of the division had better be left in that part of the colony which 

 remains on the original stand, since the old bees will of course return 

 to that spot and will not as readily receive a strange queen as will the 

 removed portion of the colony which has parted with its flight bees. 

 By introducing a laying queen when the division is made the deposi- 

 tion of eggs will be begun a week earlier than if a cell only should be 

 given. At this season of the year this will make a difference of a good 

 many thousands of workers, and will also prevent the bees from clog- 

 ging the brood combs with honey, as they would if left without a laying 

 queen for a week or more. The supers are to be placed on this part on 

 the old stand, which, having most of the flight bees, will be far better 

 able to store surplus than the other portion. The plan of making the 

 division nearly equal is quite objectionable in case it is followed closely 

 by the main honey flow of the season, for it places neither colony in 

 the best condition for immediate storing. But if only a moderate yet 

 continuous honey flow, followed by a larger yield, is to be anticipated, 

 both parts will have time to become populous, and the equal division, 

 if done in time that is, before the " swarming fever" has taken hold 

 of the colony will be likely to prevent swarming. 



DRIVING OR BRUSHING. 



In case, however, some immediate work is expected of either part of 

 the divided colony, it is preferable to make the division in such a way 

 as to secure about all of the flight bees as well as most of the young 



