186 THE BEE KEBPBK'S MANUAL. 



a powerful stock of bees ; but it is very evident that if the 

 increase of new colonies were entirely discouraged, the 

 insect would soon be exterminated. To prevent this, the 

 advocates of the non-swarming plan, must either have their 

 bees swarm, to some extent, or rely upon those who do. 



My hive may be used as a non-swarmer, and may be 

 made more effectually to prevent swarming, than any with 

 which I am acquainted : as in the Spring, (See No. 34. p. 

 104,) ample accommodations may be given to the bees, be- 

 low their main works, and when this is seasonably done, 

 swarming will never take place.. 



There are certain objections however, which must always 

 prevent the non-swarming plan from being the most sucess- 

 ful mode of managing bees. To say nothing of the loss to 

 the bee-keeper, who has, after some years, only one stock, 

 when if the natural mode of increase had been allowed, he 

 ought to have a number, it is usually found that after bees 

 have been kept in a non-swarming hive for several seasons, 

 they seem to work with much less vigor than usual. Of 

 this, any one may convince himself, who will compare the 

 industrious working of a new swarm, with that of a much 

 more powerful stock in a non-swarming hive. The former 

 will work with such astonishing zeal, that to one unacquaint- 

 ed with the facts, it would be taken to be by far the more 

 powerful stock. 



As the fertility of the queen decreases by age, the disadvan- 

 tage of using non-swarming hives of tiie ordinary construc- 

 tion, will be obvious. This objection to the system can be 

 remedied in my hive, as the old queen can be easily caught 

 and 'removed ; but when hives are used in which this 

 cannot be done, the Apiary, instead of containing a race 

 of young queens in the full vigor of their reproduc- 

 tive powers, will contain many that have passed their 



