THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 47 



That a process so obviously advantageous as this, if it can only be 

 proved feasible in general, and successful as feasible, should yet have 

 been so little noticed, or its probable uses so little tested, is a matter 

 of no small marvel to me, especially when we consider that most bee 

 writers have professed themselves acquainted with it, and we have not 

 been wanting in apiarians of scientific attainments, animated by a 

 spirit of curious inquiry. De Gelieu tells us, that in his time, the prac- 

 tice of artificial swarming on a most elaborate principle was common 

 enough in Germany at the close of the last century — thanks to the 

 industry, of M. Shirach in propagating his views and system of bee 

 management — so that persons bred up to the business used to wander 

 about from village to village, in the season, managing the considerable 

 apiaries of the country people in this way. This proves the recogni- 

 tion of the value of the principle by the Germans, and I see no reason 

 why it should be unrecognised among ourselves. If the Germans 

 found their method of conducting the process answer, and were not 

 deterred from adopting it in spite of its complexity, why should it be 

 too difficult for us ? Moreover, the process has become so simplified 

 of late years, that the veriest novice can understand and manage it. 



I believe we are indebted to Bonner, the celebrated Scotch apiarian, 

 for having first introduced the subject to public notice in England. 

 His work was reviewed by Keys, who makes some passing observa- 

 tions on his particular method, and acknowledges its ingenuity. • Keys 

 himself, who was on the point of publishing the second edition of his 

 book just as Bonner's work issued from the press, has given us two 

 methods of forming artificial swarms, in such vague language, how- 

 ever, (as sufficiently betrays his practical ignorance of what he wrote 

 about,) that he has most justly pronounced against them, that " they 

 are inapplicable to general practice," Bonner's method was far more 

 " ingenious," as Keys allows, and, indeed, it may be considered the 

 original of the method hereafter to be detailed. To this must yield 

 even the plan advocated and recommended by Dr. Bevan, a great au- 

 thority in most apiarian matters. Bonner's plan is the foundation of 

 the method which appears to have been practised with much success 

 by the late Dr. Scudamore, a physician of Canterbury, who wrote a 

 little book on the subject of artificial swarms, not long ago, which has 

 seen two editions, and to which I acknowledge myself indebted for 

 the outline of the plan recommended in these pages, and of much of 



