APPENDIX. 119 



The boe master cannot greatly git, therefore, who exchanges the queens of his strong 

 stocks trieuuialh/, though, no doubt, in the end, he would find it more profitable to change 

 thera every two years. 



(K— Page 95.) 



Althouqh the account of my discovery of this plan of uniting bees has been communicated 

 at different times to the '* .Cottage Gardener," I may be pardoned for re-introducing it 

 here, as it may be interesting to some who have not seen it in that periodical. The fol- 

 lowing is an extract from my oommunioation to this paper : — " I hit upon the plan accident- 

 ally, as I was hesitating between the adoption of the fumigating or sugar and water 

 drowning process of uniting bees, one or the other of which is recommended by apiarians. 

 I was quite unused to either of these plans, and somewhat dreaded the experiment. The 

 scene of operation was the small nursery back garden of some excellent friends of mine, 

 who had kindly permitted me to make what use I pleased of the population of five cottage 

 hives, which they intended to plunder, and the time was 8£ p. m., on the 9th of August, 

 1349. After trying what I could do with one hive by fumigation, and having made a terri- 

 ble moss of the affair, I proceeded to try the sugar and water drowning process ; to effect 

 which, I proposed first to drive into separate empty hives the population of two strong 

 stocks ; and then, after sprinkling them with sugar and water, to mix the bees together. 

 The job, however, appeared so awkward and filthy, that my heart greatly revolted against 

 it; however, there seemed no remedy, so to driving I went. A magnificent second-year 

 stock, as full of bees as it could hold, (the more bees the better for the success of the ex- 

 periment,) was successfully driven in about fifteen minutes into an empty hive, which was 

 taken off and put gently aside until wanted again. The few remaining bees next were 

 fumigated with sulphur before being taken into the house. Another fine and populous 

 stock was then turned up as before, an early cast of the current year, but instead of placing 

 an empty hive over it as before, it suddenly crossed my mind to try what driving into the 

 other already temporarily-occupied hive would do— the empty hive, I mean, into which 

 the population of the first hive had already been driven. But would they not fight and 

 destroy each other ? If they did, thought I, I have yet two good stocks to fall back upon ; 

 so, in an instant, the tenanted combless hive was gently replaced over the now reversed 

 cast, and to driving we went in good earnest. ' Hark ! what an awful buzzing !' said my 

 companion ; and, indeed, I began to dread a general massacre as the hum increased ; pres- 

 ently, however, as our tapping ceased, the hum. died away, and profound silence reigned 

 within. My success was complete, for, on taking off the upper hive, an enormous mass of 

 bees was disclosed to view, hanging motionless in thick clusters from the roof, united to- 

 gether in great apparent harmony and tranquillity. The few remaining bees in the old hive 

 were sulphured as before ; and our united hive was suffered to remain till morning resting 

 over an empty bucket, within two yards of their old locality, and covered with a sheet. 

 Great was the activity of our newly-formed stock, the next day, (but no signs of war 

 were visible,) till about 2£ i'. m., when I shook them all out upon a sheet on the ground 

 in front of the box which was destined for their reception, into which they all immediately 

 crept after their queen. As soon as they had nearly all left the cloth, the conquered queen 

 was discovered in front of the box, dead, but still surrounded by an escort of bees, who paid 

 her the last tribute of respect and loyalty. The box, containing the now united swarm, 

 was transferred the same evening to my own apiary, where it remains to this day." 



