§ VI.] ARTIFICIAL S HARMING. 239 



process of driving. The following he particularly "re- 

 commends as approaching nearest of any to natural 

 swarming. Two hives exactly alike are placed one above 

 the other with their entrances different ways ; they have 

 holes made through their floor-boards to allow of com- 

 munication from the crown-board of whichever for the 

 time occupies the lower position. Free passage being 

 thus given from one to the other, a number of the young 

 bees will use the upper entrance. After some ten days 

 a swarm is driven from the lower and received into the 

 upper, upon which the positions of the hives are reversed, 

 the forced swarm being put below. Most of the mature 

 bees will unite with the swarm from association with the 

 lower entrance ; but the young ones which have habituated 

 themselves to the upper one will now cling to the parent 

 stock and form a sufficient strength to keep it properly 

 going. In the course of a few days the upper hive may 

 be placed by the side of the lower, and then, by suc- 

 cessive short steps, removed to any other part of the 

 apiary. If it was found that either hive was too weak 

 the positions should be again reversed. 



When driving is the method resorted to, it becomes 

 absolutely essential, in forcing a swarm, that the queen 

 should go with the new colony ; but on the other hand 

 it is not in this case the object to drive all the bees 

 from the parent stock, but to leave, say, a quarter 

 to preserve warmth for the brood and to raise a new 

 queen. If therefore the queen is not observed in the 



