ARTIFICIAL SWAKMING. 45 



combs together to fill the gap made, and nearly closed its moiith to crerent 

 its being attacked by robbers. 



In making three out of two, no further explanation is necessary than that 

 given under that head, except that to clear off all the bees, a goose wing 

 or a gilder's large flat sizing brush must be used. Whisking or brushing 

 off the bees is better than shaking when the combs are tender, or after a 

 day of honey gathering, as most of the honey, if limpid, is jerked out, 

 clogging the poor fugitives, especially the younger ones. Swarms may 

 be made by taking two combs from each of four or five strong stocks, 

 clearing off their bees, being cautious, too, that no queen is lost, and 

 putting these into a new hive on the stand of a strong stock. The bees 

 entering will raise a queen, while if empty frames be given to the colonies 

 which have lost the combs, they will quickly refill them. 



Our limits forbid a further detail of methods, which may be varied 

 almost ad infinitum, the intelligent beekeeper constantly finding some 

 specialty inviting a partial departure from stereotyped courses ; but if 

 tempted to experiment, let us remember that artificial swarming will not 

 be successful if unnatural; we must conform to the conditions made 

 necessary by the instincts and economy of the bee. This has been 

 forgotten by some who have written on the subject, and plans have been 

 given, which we are told are " easy and simple ; " but from the reason 

 stated above, are certainly not likely to produce good results ; for example, 

 a book largely read, tells us that we may make a swarm if we use frame 

 hives by removing a comb containing grubs and eggs, and placing it in a 

 similar hive to the one from which it was taken, afterwards removing 

 the stock to a distance, and putting the new hive in its place. The bees, 

 returning from the fields, will enter the old hive on the old stand, form a 

 swarm, and raise a queen from the eggs given them. All this is true ; but 

 as it is an instinct of the bee to build only drone comb while possessing 

 an immature queen, the hive will be nearly filled of, that which can be used 

 only for store or for raising a horde of useless consumers. Such artificial 

 swarming must fail, whilst at the door of incompetent advisers lies the 

 blamo of the bad repute which the system has sometimes reoelT ed. Tor 

 the benefit of the more enterprising of our readers, we append a few 

 general principles, by which they may do well to test any plan before 

 putting it into execution. 



1. ITo swarming before drones are rather numerous, or when patches 



of drone brood are not already sealed. The old stock loses its 

 queen, and the drone will be needed for her successor in about 

 twenty-three days ; Exception : when we have a fertile mother 

 to give to the old stock. 



2. No swarming when honey is not abundant ; the swarm has no 



capital, and an empty house. Unless it obtains large supplies, it 



