61 



to throw the. contents of one Bkep into the other', and then to 

 throw the whole out on to the floor-board. If it should 

 3ccur that both the swarms issued from three to. eight da>"s 

 before being united, and that they had been placed in positions 

 more than ten yards apart, they should be brought close to- 

 gether (182), this move being completed all in one operation ; it 

 would then be advisable to place some obstruction immediately 

 in front of and within three feet of each hive that has been 

 moved, to attract the attention of the bees as they leave the hive, 

 md induce them to take bearings of its new position ; a barrel, 

 or a cloth on the back of a chair, would serve the purpose ; 

 after having been left for about forty-eight hours in the new 

 position, they may be united as above described. The reserved 

 queen may be destroyed, when it is known that the other queen 

 has been accepted. 



To unite two stocks which are in bar-frame hives, the stocks 

 to be united should be brought within six 

 133. TTniting feet of each other (182), (188), when that 

 Two Stocks which can conveniently be done. If both stocks 

 are in Bar-frame have queens, the least valuable queen 

 Hives. should be secured and boxed (132), and 



the other queen should be caged (151) to 

 avoid risk of the bees balling her during uniting operations. 

 Then crowd the bees in each hive upon as few frames as pos- 

 sible; this should be done on the evening before, or at least 

 some hours before uniting. Place an empty hive between the 

 two stocks, uncover it, and remove all frames, but leave 

 the dummy in. Give a few strong puffs of smoke to 

 3ach stock ; after three minutes uncover, and place carbolic 

 :lbths (65) over the frames in each hive. Then lift the back 

 frame of one stock, and while holding it with the top bar hori- 

 zontal, thoroughly dust the bees on both sides of the frame 

 ivith flour (132), and then place this frame at the back of the 

 smpty hive ; then deal similarly with the back frame of the 

 jther hive, and so on with the remainder of the frames, 

 placing them alternately in the empty hive. When all 

 'rames have been removed from the old hives, any bees 

 ■emaining in them should be dusted with flour and then 

 ihrown out together on the floor-board. Now introduce the 

 jage containing the queen, and attend to instructions for 

 loing so (152). If any fighting is observed, puffs of smoke 

 should be driven amongst the bees to quiet them ; this should 

 )e continued until the bees have been thoroughly quieted. The 

 live may then be covered up as usual. If a spare hive is not 

 bvailable, first dust with flour all the bees on the frames in one 

 live, then spread these frames, leaving spaces between them 

 or the alternate insertion of frames from the other hive ; dust 

 he bees on the frames in the second hive, and as that is done, . 

 ransfer each frame to the space available for it in the first 

 live. Provided that when uniting two hives the frames from 

 sach hive are placed alternately in the new hive, it is not 



