THOUSAND ANSWERS 259 



let a bee through, and for some time there will be passage for 

 only one bee at a time. In the meantime the two lots of bees are 

 getting the same scent, ready to unite peaceably. At any rate, 

 I've had one lot of bees killed when there was no paper between, 

 and I'm not sure I ever had fighting when the paper was used. 



Q. I have SO colonies of bees in dovetailed hives, and want to 

 keep but 25, spring count. How and when can I double them up? 

 what should I do to keep the frames of larvae and honey? And 

 how may I keep the frames of comb during the waiter? 



A. Better wait till next spring to unite. If you unite this fall, 

 there may be some casualties in winter, and you would not then 

 have your 25 in spring. Even if you are sure of no winter losses 

 in your mild climate, there are advantages in waiting till spring. 

 There will be no question about care of combs through the winter, 

 and by doubling SO full colonies in the spring you are likely to 

 have 25 stronger colonies than if the doubling were done in the 

 fall; and 25 very strong colonies will take no more care than 25 

 weaker ones, and will store more surplus. 



Uniting Swarms. — Q. Is it better to unite two swarms and 

 make one big swarm out of two? And will I get more honey 

 from one big swarm than I would get from two small ones? 



A. You will be more likely to get more honey from uniting. 

 In places where a strong flow continues very late, more honey 

 may be had from the two kept separate. 



Q. I would like to know the best way to double swarms up. 

 If they both come out the same day, or a day or two apart, should 

 I put the old colony on top of the new swarm? Should I take 

 the bottom out of the top hive, or how can I get them together? 



A. If they are only a day or two apart, the easiest way is to 

 hive the second one in the same hive as the first, just as if the 

 hive were empty. 



Q. When hiving two swarms should I sprinkle or smoke them 

 to make them go in the entrance? 



A. If you dump them at the entrance they will enter of their 

 own accord, without smoke or sprinkling. 



Q. What is the best way to unite a swarm direct from the 

 tree with a weak colony? I have just shaken it in front of the 

 hive, but many of the bees were killed at the entrance of the hive. 



A. Perhaps if you had shaken the bees off the combs at the 

 entrance, so that the two lots of bees would run in together, there 

 would have been less trouble. If one lot has an old queen and 

 the other a virgin, they 'do not unite so well. 



