THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 95 



cottage neighbors the population of their strong casts that are doomed 

 to the brimstone pit. These may then be driven out of their several 

 hives, and set over the colonies to be renewed, (one strong cast to 

 each colony,) from which the original inhabitants, together with their 

 queen, have been previously withdrawn. These last, on being driven, 

 should have their queens destroyed, which will have the effect of com- 

 pelling them to return home ; here they ought to find their old dwell- 

 ing, (after being deprived of part of its comb, if need require,) sur- 

 mounted by the cast procured for the purpose. The bees above, 

 however, should not be suffered to have access to the hive below till 

 after some time has elapsed. A piece of perforated zinc interposed 

 between the two hives for a few hours, will prove effectual in recon- 

 ciling the natives and the new comers together. This I recommend 

 more by way precaution, than from any idea of the danger of a fight, 

 even on the immediate union of the two families. I have known the 

 bees of two hives, located side by side on the same stand, fraternise* 

 very curiously at swarming time, when the queen of one of the hives 

 chanced to have been lost. 



Should it be found a matter of difficulty to procure such casts from 

 cottagers,' (and they ought to be instructed to keep no casts at all,) the 

 bee master must manage to procure a supply of young queens at 

 home. For this reason, if for no other, it will be advisable to keep 

 several hives of straw in the open air, whose old queens may be de- 

 stroyed every year, according to the plan detailed in Chapter V. 

 Thus even the spoliation swarms, managed according to my cottager 

 plan, may always be made to contain youthful queens, by merely re- 

 turning the swarms or their first issue, after previously killing the 

 queens. 



By a close attention to the directions contained in this chapter, 

 (many of which, however, are in the main suggestive, rather than 

 given as the result of experience,) there can be no doubt whatever of 

 success; an apiary may have a prolonged existence of perpetual 

 youth, and of the most flourishing vigor, while the intelligent bee mas- 

 ter will not only reap a large reward for his pains, in the overflowing 

 spoils of every season, but have the purest enjoyment in his scientific 

 management of these interesting insects. 



* See Appendix, noto K. 



