CO THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



fall altogether; all danger of this would, however, be avoided, if some 

 portion of comb were left attached to the bars, or subsequently applied 

 to them ; for in this case the bees would build downwards as well as ' 

 upwards, and so meet the rising works half way. It cannot be too 

 carefully borne in mind, in all hive manipulations, that wax is a most 

 expensive article in the economy of bee architecture, though its value 

 is but trifling in the market ; every saving of it, therefore, is impor- 

 tant. The most useful combs, undoubtedly, are the centre ones ; and 

 these will generally be found more empty than the others, at least, in 

 the middle part. 



In conclusion, I cannot do better than introduce an extract from 

 Dr. Scudamore's work, by way of showing how many and great are 

 the advantages to be derived from a systematic adoption of the artifi- 

 cial system, though I doubt not many of my readers will have discov- 

 ered not a few already : 



"There is no certainty," he writes, "of the time when this, (the ex- 

 pected rising of natural swarms,) will take place, by reason of 

 several causes, some of which may prevent it altogether ; and the in- 

 conveniences to which the proprietors are liable, who do not form ar- 

 tificial swarms, are consequently many. First, they are obliged to 

 watch the departure of swarms very assiduously for six weeks, and 

 sometimes much longer ; whatever attention may be made by persons 

 entrusted with this care, many swarms fly away, which it is impossi- 

 ble to arrest. It has been calculated by a great bee keeper, that a 

 fourth part of the best swarms are usually lost in this manner. Sec- 

 ondly, he who has a small number of hives, is obliged to watch them 

 with the same assiduity as if he had more ; and he who has a greater 

 number is often much embarrassed, because it is no unusual thing to 

 see several swarms go oft 7 at the same instant ; some escape on one side, 

 and some on another, or unite themselves together. Thirdly, a cold 

 and rainy time, which may happen at the moment when swarms are 

 disposed to come forth, often prevents the bees from swarming. And 

 further, swarms may issue at times when one wishes to be otherwise 

 engaged; and, on the other hand, although the proprietor may be 

 present, his swarms may choose to settle in places where it is difficult 

 to hive them. Now, it is easy to imagine, and still worse to experience 

 some of these difficulties . . . were it always so, (that swarms issued 

 regularly, and settled suitably, and in good time,) all would be well 



