RECi;iPT BOOK. 191 



may take another flight and may possibly be lost 

 entirely. The manner of hiving them must be 

 regulated by the nature of the place on which they 

 settle. The custom of preparing hives varies; a 

 clean new hive only requires the loose straw to be 

 rubbed off with a cloth: if any dressing be used, 

 fennel dipped in ale and sugar will best answer 

 the purpose. Have ready a cloth whereon to 

 place the hive, and a wedge to raise it: if the 

 swarm should settle on a branch, shake the best 

 part of it into the hive, place it on the cloth on the 

 ground, and continue to disturb the swarm where 

 it settled, and the hive being left underneath, they 

 will all go in; or cut the branch off, and gently 

 place it in the hive. Should the bees settle on the 

 ground, place the hive over them; and though bees 

 are not apt to sting at this time, the hiving should 

 be performed quietly. Avoid talking and breath- 

 ing on them, and if any of them are crushed, they 

 will resent it ; therefore, to prevent accident, inva- 

 riably use the bee dress, which will give confi- 

 dence. All swarms are to be sheltered and left 

 near to where they settle till the evening; thence 

 to be removed very gently to the appointed place. 



To unite swarms, and reinforce stocks. 



It is essential when there are weak swarms of 

 bees, that they should be strengthened. The idea, 

 so prevalent, of the greatest number of hives pro- 

 ducing the most honey and wax, is erroneous; 

 for the great part of the bees are necessarilv em- 

 ployed in rearing the young, and therefore the 

 number of those who are occupied »:i collecting 

 honey is not near so great as has been imagined; 

 for every s-.varm, the least as well as the greatest. 



