MANAGING BEKS. -^9 



Swarms may be doubled at any time before 

 ihey become so located as to resume their 

 former hostility, which will not be discovered 

 in less than three or four days. Bees are pro- 

 vided with a reservoir, or sack, to carry their 

 provision in ; and when they swarm, they go 

 loaded with provision suited to their emergen- 

 cy, which takes off all their hostility towards 

 each other ; and until these sacks are emptied, 

 they are not easily vexed, and as they are 

 compelled to build combs before they can 

 empty them, their contents are retained seve- 

 ral days. I have doubled, at a fortnight's in- 

 terval in swarming, with entire success. The 

 operation should be performed within two or 

 three days — at the farthest four days. The 

 sooner it is done, the less hazardous is the ex- 

 periment. 



As a general rule, second swarms only 

 should be doubled. Third and fourth swarms 

 should always have their Queen taken from 

 them, and the bees returned to the parent 

 stock, according to Ffule 10. 



