APPENDIX. 379 



othor frames may then havo nearly nil tho beos ehaken from tbom on a Bboet 

 Gproad on tho ground. If the operutlon Ib performed at any time when the bees 

 are not ou^ at work, a little caro will be necessary, or you will not leave enough to 

 take tho necessary caro of the brood. Ou one aide of the elieet, sot a hiv& or auy 

 light box, and tho bees wlU enter as readily as a regular swarm. If sure there is 

 no queen with them, they may bo fastened up with thin muslin or wire-cloth tied or 

 nailed over, and turn it on its aide, to prevent smothering. But if the queen has 

 not been seou during any part of the operation, it will be important, previous to 

 shutting them up, to let them stand a few minutes, to determine by their actions if 

 she is with them. If she is with them they will be very quiet, and it will be neces- 

 sary to look her up and return her to the old stock, or we have gained nothing. The 

 case is very much the same as if you had driven the swarm from the common box- 

 hive for this purpose. A great deal of trouble is often saved by keeping a good look* 

 out for tho queen when liftmg out the frames; the bees are spread over the whole sur- 

 face of the combs, and it gives a good chance to see her. If well enough acquainted 

 with her looks ana movements to recognize her at a glance amoug thousands, it would 

 he well to get another box, and put it on thesheet with one edge raised , &c. , prepara- 

 tory to re-hiving. Shake out a few directly in front of this, and as soon as they set 

 up the buzzing shake out more a little further off, and watch, as tiioy spread out in 

 travelling toward the hive, for the queen. After disposing of her, the bees may be 

 secured as directed, and taken to the other apiary. Now^ for the purpose of attach- 

 mg them to their new locality, it would be advisable to give them a sheet of comb 

 containing brood from some other hive. Procure a queen-cell from a hive that has 

 cast a swarm near a week before, so that its occupant will be nearly mature. It is 

 a good plan when a stock sends out a swarm, and it is expected that queen-cells 

 will be wanted, to takeout the frames immediately, and note down all the cells 

 that are finished, and those nearly so ; by this means, you Will know the time that 

 they will mature — ^reckoning seven days from being sealed over. A place the size 

 and shape of the cell may.be cut out of tho comb , and that inserted without bruising 

 or bending. This comb is now to be put in the hive with empty frames, and placed 

 on a stand some feet from any others. Shake the swarm in front of the hive, and 

 they will readily enter and go to work, as any regular swarm should. 



In two or three weeks, this same old stock will increase sufQciently to spai^e 

 another swarm. One thi'ifty stock that keeps its queen will, in this way, spare 

 Uiree large swarms, and still be stronger in the fall than if it had cast only two in 

 tne natural way, and one of them quite small I or, it will bo full as strong the next 

 spring as one that has cast no swarm I It would appear, then, that when a stock is 

 sufficiently obstinate to cast no s^varm, wo gain three by taking the' matter into our 

 own hands I I would here repeat a caution given by.Mr. Langstroth; "Not to 

 have a large swarm building combs a week or ten days before they have a mature 

 queen," because they make too many drone-cells for profit. Mr. L. recommends 

 starting what he terms a " 'nucleus ' Let a few bees rear a queen from workers' 

 eggs, and, when mature and depositing eggs, add the swarm." This is attended 

 with considerable trouble more than the other way, as the bees have to bo confined 

 for a time, and you are necessitated to have them under particular care for several 

 days. It is a much quicker process, and less trouble, to give the small company of 

 bees a royaj cell nearly mature : you can' then put in the bees, and speedily have 

 the particular care olf your hands. One beautiful feature about it is, you can make 

 your new swarms just as strong as desired. If you do not get quite bees enough at 

 the first trial, additions can be made till right ; or, if too many, they may be taken 

 out again. Bees from different hives, after being taken from their owu queen and 

 carried to a strange place, can he united, and they will accept with apparent thank- - 

 fulness almost any condition; if they have a queen, or have the means to rear one. 

 Even old stocks may be strengthened readily in this way. Ihasd some half-dozen last 

 June, reduced beyond any prospect of recovery, and two quarts of bees obtained 

 from some strong stocks in anoUier apiary were emptied out at the entrance of 

 each hive ; these entered quietly, and labored as freely and perseveringly as if they 

 bad always belonged there. 



When the bees are all in one apiary, there is a plan furnished by Mr. L. of 

 strengthening weak colonies, quite effectual, but not as speedily done. It consists 

 of taking one or more combs filled with brood from a strong stock, and giving tliem 

 to the weak one, which, as they mature, add strength. 



There are many advantages in having bees in two localities, besides those enumer- 

 ated here, and whenever there is a possibility of giving the necessary attention it 

 'is to be recommended. In connection with this subject, I would add a caution 

 strongly insisted upon by Mr. L., and that is, " Beware of increasing your stocks 

 too fast." Although the plan just given,or preventing the old queen from leaving 

 the hive, will produce about one-third moro bees in the course of a season, there is 

 great danger, if thece is not a full yield of honey, that you will havo more bees in 

 the fall than your honey stores will winter. Remember that great haste is attended 

 with peril. 



