320 HIVING THE LARGER SWARMS DEPRIVING. 



The junction of second swarms is a very nice ope- 

 ration, and requires great judgment in the manage- 

 ment. Supposing that two second swarms come off 

 together, the queen must be taken from the smaller 

 one, as in the preceding case, and kept a close pri- 

 soner. Proceed then to hive the larger swarm, and 

 immediately after shake the bees of the smaller into 

 the same hive. It would be advisable in this stage 

 to have some sweet liquid at hand, wherewith to 

 sprinkle the bees copiously, for the purpose of con- 

 founding their respective scent, and then deposit the 

 hive at the place where the smaller swarm settled. A 

 very short time will determine the terms of intimacy 

 which subsists beween the two swarms ; if they agree, 

 their combined numbers will insure the prospect of 

 the hive, and on the contrary, if they disagree, it is 

 most probable, that the bees of the smaller swarm, 

 having lost their queen, will return to their parent 

 hive, and this is by no means to be regretted by the 

 proprietor. 



DEPRIVING, or gathering the harvest of honey 

 from the hive, should be performed in August, im- 

 mediately after the swarming season, for which Huish 

 gives the satisfactory reason, that the bees, from that 

 period to October, may replenish the vacuum left in 

 the hive. The improved hive is far the most, per- 

 haps the only convenient form for this practice, which 

 is sufficiently simple and easy. Ascertain the weight 

 of the hive, and the quantity of honeycomb proper 

 to be extracted, and commence the operation as early 

 in the evening as the bees shall be at rest. Revert 

 the full. hive, and place an empty one of precisely the 



