48 THE COTTAGE AND FAKM BEE KEEPER. 



its detail. His pamphlet, though small, is exceedingly to the point ; 

 and I think all scientific apiarians owe him a debt of gratitude for that 

 little work. The result of my experience during the summer of 1850, 

 when I assisted in forming for myself and others some seven or eight 

 such swarms, in accordance with- its instructions, has convinced me 

 that the artificial management of an apiary, (if it may be so called,) is 

 perfectly easy, and may be had recourse to most successfully, although 

 not every instruction given in that book is to be absolutely relied on 

 or followed. A modification of it, however, will, in the hands of a spir- 

 ited bee master, be found very successful. I am not at all sanguine, 

 however — desirable and extremely interesting and profitable too as 

 the process may be — that it will become generally adopted, at least, 

 for a long time to come, if we take into consideration the considerable 

 acquaintance with the economy of the hive and the habits of bees, 

 which is necessary to success in this matter ; when also we know that 

 the great majority of bee keepers in this country are about as ignorant 

 of what passes on in the interior of a hive as of the occupation of the 

 man in the moon. In the case of any emergency arising, (and it need 

 not be a very uncommon one,) most bee keepers are at fault. Hence, 

 old Bonner's observations were perfectly true, that, however " profit- 

 able the driving of bees to make artificial swarms may be, when prop- 

 erly performed by skillful bee masters, yet it always has been, and ever 

 will be, destructive to bees if performed by unskillful persons." I 

 would wish it to be clearly understood, therefore, that I by no means 

 recommend the indiscriminate adoption of this practice by those who 

 are still in the infancy of their knowledge of the bee art. This chap- 

 ter must be considered as addressed esoterically to the initiated, or at 

 least to those who are passionate admirers of the honey bee; and these 

 are not usually such as are contented to remain on the threshold, as it 

 were, of their favorite recreative pursuit. 



To proceed then — the best time for the formation of artificial swarms 

 will depend upon two things ; the state of the season, and the condition 

 •of the stock to he operated upon. 



When the spring is early and the weather propitious, a swarm may 

 be forced to issue, without danger to the prosperity of either swarm 

 or parent hive, as early as towards the close of April. Instances are 

 on record of the issue of natural swarms as early as this ; and nature 

 is no bad guide to follow in our imitation or conduct artificially of any 



