82 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



escaped in the course of an hour, and rejoined their companions in the 

 other box. The ventilators should then be closed, and the box trans- 

 ferred to the place destined for the reception of the new colony, for, m 

 this case, the old stock will receive the expected exiles from their own 

 home. Should it appear, however, that the queen remains in her 

 original palace, all the slides must be shut down, and the boxes shift- 

 ed; that is, made to change places, after which, much the same pro- 

 cess will follow as in the former case, save only that the new box 

 becomes the reserved dwelling place of the new colonists, and to this 

 end is removed to its prepared position. It matters not if a few bees 

 are left among the combs, for they will either harmonise with their 

 successors, or return to their old locality on taking their first excursion 

 in the open air. The new box should be narrowly examined, pre- 

 viously to its establishment, as to the state of the comb which has 

 been constructed in if. If, on inspection, there shows itself a too great 

 abundance of drone comb, the whole of it had best be cut away, (at 

 least as far as the ceiled cells,) as this would, in all probability, very 

 materially injure the after prosperity of the hive. Whichever box be- 

 comes the habitat of the new comers, should be carefully weighed 

 both before and after the bees are put into it. 



And now for the method of peopling either of these hives — adestote 

 animis, lectores, et vos plaudite / On the evening of the same day, 

 (should the weather be of a settled fine character, it were better it 

 should take place the day before,) let the bee master — duly armed with 

 every necessary defence, and accompanied by an assistant bearing 

 every requisite implement, including a similar box to that which the 

 bees are to occupy — proceed to the apiary in which the doomed hives 

 are situated. If they stand side by side, it were well to commence 

 operations an hour before dusk, (for daylight, where possible, is of 

 great advantage,) only let both principal and assistant be well de- 

 fended against every possible attack. The process then to be adopted 

 is as follows : — First let one hive, (the strongest of at least two,) be 

 driven into a temporary bell or cottage hive. As soon as effected — 

 after fumigating the old hive with sulphur to destroy what bees re- 

 main, and removing it in-doors — turn up the second hive, (and here I 

 must interpose — have nothing to do with casts only half full of comb ; 

 they give more trouble than they are worth,) and set over it the same 

 hive ttsed in the former case, into which the population of the first hive 



