298 THE BEE-KEEPER’S MANUAL. 
the same hive, one upon the other; or the 
branches on which such swarms cluster may be cut 
off and brought to one hive. Otherwise, a cenerally 
certain method of union may be resorted to after 
working hours (not after dark, unless by means of a 
Stewarton nadir, for otherwise the bees in numbers 
will fly, and not seeing their way, will settle upon 
the operator). On either of the first few days within 
which a swarm has been established, another may 
be added to it. On the same evening of the issue, 
in front of the one to which the second swarm is to 
be joined, place a table, over which spread a cloth. 
By a sudden and smart stroke the bees may be 
displaced from the second hive, and will fall on the 
table in a lump. Take the first-hived colony and 
place it over them, raising the hive a little at the 
bottom, when the bees below will ascend and join 
it, forming one family. In moving this hive, 
caution is needed, for otherwise the combs, being at 
present new and brittle, are apt to fall down. It is 
seldom that any quarrel takes place if the business 
is done properly; but some persons think that a 
little smoke previously blown into both the hives, 
has a tendency to prevent fighting. Early the next 
morning move the hive back to its former position, 
when one of the queens will have been deposed. In 
thus uniting swarms, the doubled colony should 
always occupy the first hive. As a general rule, it 
may be remarked that the mode the most likely to 
succeed is that in which the bees are suddenly 
blended together, without space or opportunity for 
individual recognition or fighting, bee against bee ; 
