ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 169 



into an error which he probably would not have made, 

 had he used his own eyes. The bees are, indeed, bewil- 

 dered by the sudden admission of light, and will enter 

 the cells, unless provoked by a sudden jar, or the breath 

 of the operator ; not, however, " to conceal themselves ;" 

 but imagining that their sweets, thus unceremoniously ex- 

 posed, are to be taken from them, they gorge themselves 

 almost to bursting, to save what they can. They will 

 always appropriate the contents of the open cells, as soon 

 as their frames are removed from the hive. 



It is not merely the sudden admission of light, but its 

 introduction from an unexpected quarter, that for the time 

 disarms the hostility of the bees. They appear, for a few 

 moments, almost as much confounded as a man would be, 

 if, without any warning, the roof and ceiling of his house 

 should suddenly be torn from over his head. Before they 

 recover from their amazement, the sweet libation* is 

 poured upon them, and their surprise is quickly changed 

 into pleasure ; or they are saluted with a puff of smoke, 

 which, by alarming them for the safety of their treasures, 

 induces them to snatch whatever they can. In the work- 

 ing season, the bees near the top are gorged with honey; 

 and those coming from below are met in their threatening 

 ascent, either by an avalanche of nectar, which, like " a 

 soft answer," most effectually " turneth away wrath," or a 

 harmless smoke, which excites their fears, but leaves no 

 unpleasant smell behind. No genuine lover of bees ought 

 ever to use the sickening fumes of tobacco. 



The greatest care should be taken to repress, by the 



* If, when the hive is first opened, honey-water Is nsed, instead of sugar-water 

 or smoke, in sprinkling the bees, its smell will be very apt to entice marauders 

 from other hives. When the honey-harvest is abundant and this is the best time 

 for forcing swarms bees are seldom inclined to rob, if proper precautions are nsed. 

 It ig sometimes difficult to induce them to notice honey-combs, even when put Jn 

 an exposed situation. 



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