INCREASE OF BEES. 



19 



honey, whilst the swarms might come off too late for 

 them to collect sufficient store whereon to grow populous 

 enough to withstand the winter. 



With bees, as with men, "union is strength;" and it 

 is often better to induce them to remain as one family, 

 rather than to part numbers at a late period of the 

 honey-gathering season, without a prospect of support- 

 ing themselves, and so perish from cold and hunger 

 during the ordeal of the winter season. Would it not 

 in such cases have been better for the little folk, to have 

 kept under one roof through the winter, and to have 

 been able to take full advantage of the following early 

 spring ? This is one of the great secrets of successful 

 bee-keeping. 



Our plan of giving additional store-room will, gene- 

 rally speaking, prevent swarming. This stay-at-home 

 policy, we contend, is an advantage ; for instead of the 

 loss of time consequent upon a swarm hanging out pre- 

 paratory to flight, all the bees are engaged in collecting 

 honey, and that at a time when the weather is most 

 favourable and the food most abundant. Upon the old 

 system, the swarm leaves the hive simply because the 

 dwelling has not been enlarged at the time when the 

 bees are increasing. The emigrants are always led off 

 by the old queen, leaving either young or embryo queens 

 to lead off after-swarms, and to furnish a mistress for 

 the old stock, and carry on the multiplication of the 

 species. Upon the antiquated and inhuman plan, where 



c 2 



