33 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



ter stock likewise. If, however, the queen was not destroyed the year 

 before, but suffered to acoompany the prime swarm on its first issue, 

 by all means let this be done now, and the swarm be returned to its 

 parent hive till the emancipation of the oldest princess. This will not 

 take place for at least a week later, therefore, give additional space for 

 working at the top of the hive ; it will not delay the swarm's issue a 

 single moment. 



If, however, it be deemed suitable to increase the apiary by slower 

 degrees, and one additional stock only be reserved for winter-keeping, 

 the swarm from the second stock need not have its queen destroyed. 

 Let it, in this case, be put into one of the smaller-sized hives, (see Chap- 

 ter IV,) and located on the old stand, as in the instance not long ago 

 specified. It will thus derive a great accession of strength, owing to 

 the constant resorting: to it of many bees from the old hive, who, on 

 returning from the fields, will, in considerable numbers, bend their 

 flight to their old homestead.* 



This swarm must have additional room furnished to it within a week 

 of its establishment, by placing a super of exactly the same dimen- 

 sions over the hive itself; it may, indeed, often be requisite to give 

 this before, as when the season is very favorable or the swarm unusu- 

 ally large: If these hives are carefully fastened together, well paint- 

 ed, surmounted with a milk pan, and carefully shaded from the sun, 

 they will require no more care till the spoliation season comes round. 

 One or more glasses may be taken off in the course of the summer 

 from the old stocks and the first swarm ; but the apiarian will look 

 chiefly for his spolia opima, [arms taken by one commander from an- 

 other,] to the second prime swarm, if he does not intend to keep it 

 over the coming winter. 



Let us suppose the autumn arrived. His bees, perhaps, have all 

 thrived well There stands the original stock purchased the year be- 

 fore ; also the swarm which proceeded from it the same season ; and 

 the two swarms obtained from these hives in the current year. Should 



* I need not repeat here the instructions already given in the early part of this chapter 

 for the management of the parent stock after this issue of the prime swarm ; suffice it to 

 say, that no casts ought, on any account, to be suffered to stand as independent stocks ; 

 rather let them be returned to their parent hives on the same day of their issue, after a care- 

 ful excision of all the royal cells which present themselves to view. 



