UNION OF STOCKS. 289 



my feeble stocks, instead of very seriously diminishing their 

 scanty numbers. I have known the most serious losses 

 to result from the removal of on Apiary, conducted in the 

 manner in which a change of location is usually made. 



The process of uniting colonies in my hive, is exceedingly 

 simple. The combs may, after the two colonies are sprink- 

 led, be at once lifted out from the one which is to be bro- 

 ken up, and put with all the bees upon them, directly into 

 the other hive. If the Apiarian judges it best to save any of 

 his very small colonies, he can confine them to one half or 

 one third of the central part of the hive, and fill the two 

 empty ends with straw, shavings, or any good non-conductor. 

 Any one of my frames, can, in a few minutes, by having 

 tacked to it a ihin piece of board or paste-board, or even an old 

 newspaper, be fashioned into a divider, which will answer all 

 praciical purposes, and if it is stuffed with cotton waste, &c., 

 it will keep the bees uncommonly warm. If a very small 

 colony is to be preserved over Winter, the queen must be 

 confined, in the Fall, in a queen cage, to prevent the colony 

 from deserting the hive, 



I shall now show how the bee-keeper who wishes only to 

 keep a given number of stocks, may do so, and yet secure 

 from that number the largest quantity of surplus honey. 



If his bees are kept in non-swarming hives, he may un- 

 doubtedly, reap a bounteous harvest from the avails of their 

 industry. I do not however, recommend this mode of bee- 

 keeping as the best : still there are many so situated that it 

 may be much the best for them. Such persons, by using 

 ray hives, can pursue the non-swarming plan to the best 

 advantage. They can by taking off the wings of their 

 queens, be sure that their colonies will not suddenly leave 

 them ; a casualty to which all other non-swarming hives 

 are sometimes liable ; and by taking away the honey in 

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