168 NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL INCREASE, 
STRAIGHT COMBS. 
A consideration worthy of notice in regard to the 
frames filled with new combs during these operations, is, 
that if the new one be built between two that are true 
and straight, it must itself be perfectly straight. Fre- 
quently, where several frames are filled with foundation, 
the cells in one will be built longer at the top than those 
on the one opposite, making them fit less exactly when 
their position ischanged. This plan of dividing is recom- 
mended as efficacious in preventing the desire to swarm. 
CONTROLLING SWARMING. 
Many bee-keepers prefer surplus honey to increase of 
stocks. This is often the case with those who keep but 
one or two swarms, to supply honey for home use. Those 
who pursue bee-keeping for profit, in sections where the 
honey yield is brief in duration, find that, as a rule, the 
less increase made, the greater the gain in surplus. But 
in other sections, where the yield is prolonged, it fre- 
quently happens that stocks may be doubled, and more 
honey secured from each of the two, than would have 
been produced by the old stock, with a gain of the new 
colony besides. As the apiarian can not know in ad- 
vance what the duration of the honey harvest will be, we 
who have short seasons must practice a system of man- 
agement which is suggested by the idea that the less in- 
crease the better, provided the desire to swarm is con- 
trolled. 
NON-SWARMING HIVES. 
With this idea in view, many hives have been devised 
and devices suggested, all of which have been partial fail- 
ures. Probably the New Quinby Hive attains this end as 
nearly as any, but it has never been claimed to be a com- 
plete non-swarming hive. It3 facility for furnishing 
