CHAPTER X. 



ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



The numerous efforts which have been nnade for the last 

 fifty years or more, to dispense with natural swarming, 

 plainly indicate the anxiety of Apiarians to find some better 

 mode of increasing their colonies. 



Although I am aMe to propagate bees by natural swarm- 

 ing, with a rapidity and certainty unattainable except by 

 the complete control of all the combs in the hive, still there 

 are difficulties in this mode of increase, inherent to the 

 system itself, and therefore entirely incapable of being re- 

 moved by any kind of hive. Before describing the various 

 methods which I employ to increase colonies by artificial 

 means, I shall first enumerate these difficulties, in order that 

 each individual bee-keeper may decide for himself, in 

 which way he can most advantageously propagate his bees. 



1. The large number of swarms lost every year, is a 

 powerful argument against natural swarming. 



An eminent Apiarian has estimated that one fourth of 

 the best swarms are lost every season ! This estimate can 

 hardly be considered too high, if all who keep bees are 

 taken into account. While some bee-keepers are so care- 

 ful that they seldom lose a swarm, the majority, either from 

 the grossest negligence,or from necessary hindrances dur- 

 ing the swarming season, are constantly incurring serious 



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