APPENDIX. 115 



on the spot out of one or both of her hives. Eaoh of us having his bee dress in his pocket, 

 nothing seemed easier ; having, therefore, duly armed ourselves, and provided every need- 

 ful instrument to the process of driving, our patroness the meanwhile watching the pro- 

 ceedings from a bam window overlooking the apiary, I commenced the operation in the 

 usual manner, my friend assisting. In a few minutes, thinking by the hum in the upper 

 hive that all was right, it was taken off, with a considerable swarm that had asoended into 

 it, and put on the stand whenoe the old hive was taken, at the same time removing this to 

 another stand, and confining the bees, which remained in considerable numbers, with a 

 list bandage. While we wero congratulating ourselves on the success of our experiment, 

 and were meditating an attack on the second hive, it suddenly became apparent that some- 

 thing was wrong with our newly-made swarm. The bees appeared restless and uneasy, 

 and the air was filled with a vast multitude of them, having all the appearance of a na- 

 tural swarm that issued in the ordinary manner. In short, it was evident that they had 

 missed their queen. To make sure of her absence from among them, a cloth was spread on 

 the ground, and the bees that remained in the new hive were struck out upon it, the hive 

 itself being at the same time placed near them at the edge of the cloth, resting on a stick. 

 No doubt whatever now remained as to the cause of the commotion ; for though many of 

 the bees crawled towards the hive, and even entered it in ©onsiderable numbers, they crept 

 out of it as fast again. In this dilemma, nothing presented itself to be done, save to unfasten 

 the bandage of the old hive and to restore it to its former place, that the outlaying bees 

 might find their way home again previous to a second attempt at driving. I am not aware 

 if such occurrence had been observed before, but at this juncture of affairs, it became evi- 

 dent that the wandering and distressed bees had begun to fraternise with their neighbors of 

 the other stock, which stood on the same shelf with themselves, at the distance of about a 

 yard. A great many were seen walking towards it with fanning wings, nor were they at 

 all ill-received, though I expected a mortal encounter; it seemed as if a most amicable 

 disposition prevailed on the part of the uninjured stock towards its queenless neighbors. I 

 believe, however, they all returned afterwards to their own hive. But to return to my 

 story. 



" Our calamities were not yet to an end, for in bringing back the old hive to its former 

 position, a large comb full of brood, in every stage of advancement, disengaged itself from 

 its fastenings and fell to the ground ! Miserable now was the sight before us ! As the re- 

 sult of our experience hitherto upon this poor woman's bees, we had to show an irritated bee 

 population, a hive disturbed and mutilated, a large quantity of brood lying damaged on 

 the ground, and not a few of the brave insects dead. How heartily did I repent having a 

 hand in such a business. 



<; After much pondering and planning, my friend declared his resolution rather to destroy 

 the hive altogether than to leave it in its present condition, a monument against the uni- 

 versal success of artificial swarming. At the worst, compensation could easily be made in 

 an ample manner. But how to proceed was the difficulty. At first nothing presented but 

 to attempt driving again, as the only chance of retrieving our damaged reputation. On 

 proceeding, however, to lift the hive again from its stand, to our utter amazement and hor- 

 ror, down fell a second brood comb, as full of young grubs and eggs as the former ! De- 

 spair seized upon us both as we stood aghast at this fresh calamity. Doubtless the great 

 agitation of the bees and the heat of the weather (for it was very warm) was the cause of 

 this donble misfortune. 



" The explanation was easy enough, but how to- remedy the evil was the question at this 

 juncture. A sudden and happy thought fortunately crossed my mind, namely, that by 

 the help of these two combs, (which were filled, as I said before, with eggs and brood of all 



