74 ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



Tlie HIvsiniM ©1 



'"jrr Y7ATURAL swarming-, with its uncertainties, anxieties, and 

 \\ vexatious losses, is destined to eventually become a thing 

 /\ \^ of the past. Methods of controlling increase, preventing it 

 altogethea, or else doing the work artificially, will reach 

 such perfection that swarming will be eliminated. Many bee-keep- 

 ers are already forestalling swarming by some artificial method of 

 increase, notably that of shook-swarming. No professional bee- 

 keeper worthy of the name, an jr longer allows natural swarming, un- 

 controlled, in a large apiary. The days have past when we can 

 afford to allow several swarms, issuing at the same time, to join 

 forces and make merry in the top of some tall tree. Even if 

 swarming is allowed, the queens are either clipped, or else controlled 

 by means of queen-traps in front of the entrances of the hives. Two 

 or more swarms issuing at the same time may unite, and give 

 trouble by attempting to enter one hive when they return, but there 

 will be no loss of bees, nor climbing of trees. The bees will s/tiy in 

 the yard, and can be brought under control. 



When swarming is allowed, I believe that the majority of ad- 

 vanced bee-keepers now hive their swarms by having the queens' 

 wings clipped, and allowing the bees to return to their old location, 

 which they will do when they find the queen is not with them. Of 

 course the queen attempts to follow the bees, and is found in front of 

 the hive by the bee-keeper, who cages her, and sets the old hive to 

 one side, replacing it with a new hive prepared for the occupancy of 

 the swarm. When the bees return, they enter into the new hive, 

 supposing it to be their old home, thus hiving themselves. While 

 they are entering the hive, the queen is allowed to run in with them 

 — and the work is done. 



There is another method of carrying out this principle; that of 

 catching the queen in a trap in front of the hive. The lower part 



