174 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



fully preserved till the following spring for new swarms, 

 than to break it up for honey. A hive of fresh empty 

 comhs is worth 7s. at least for receiving a swarm. Three 

 years ago two good swarms came off on the 20th of May. 

 One was put into an empty hive, and the other into one 

 containing some young sweet combs. In about two 

 months the swarm that was put into the empty hive 

 weighed 70 lb., whereas the other that had the advantage 

 of the combs weighed 90 lb. The swarm, on being hived 

 amongst the combs, was apparently a little less than the 

 other. A hive even half or a third full of young combs is 

 a great advantage to a swarm, for the bees at once begin 

 to collect honey and set eggs. If it be desired to feed the 

 hives kept with the honey in those that are to be set aside 

 for swarms next season, it is easily done by placing the 

 comb-hives under the bee-hives for a single night, when 

 the bees will go down and empty every cell of honey, and 

 carry all up into their own combs without injuring the 

 combs of the beeless ones. Thus the weak ones are made 

 to feed the strong ones in unfavourable honey years. 



But one of the greatest difficulties which overtake a 

 bee-master well up in the profitable management of his 

 stock, is when all his hives become too heavy for keeping. 

 Some seasons his second swarms and turnouts and old 

 stock-hives will rise in weight to 70, 80, and 100 lb. 

 each, and first swarms will go 30 lb. or 40 lb. beyond 

 that weight. When this happens, both the season and 

 the locality are favourable for honey-gathering. "Well, 

 what should be done with such heavy hives 1 Put them 

 all down for honey and honeycomb. The profits in such 

 seasons are very great. But if all the hives are put down 

 for honey there will be none for stock. Stop a little. 

 There are three ways of keeping up the number of stock- 

 hives and yet getting honey from all the hives. 



