Methods of Hiving, 25 1 



destroy all queen-cells, and exchange this hive — after 

 taking out three or four frames of brood to strengthen 

 nuclei — with one that recently swarmed. Thus a colony 

 that recently sent out a swarm, but retained their queen, 

 has probably, from the decrease of bees, loss of brood, and 

 removal of queen-cells, lost the swarming fever, and if we 

 give them plenty of room and ventilation, they will accept 

 the bees from a new swarm, and spend their future ener- 

 gies in storing honey. If the swarming fever is not broken 

 up, we shall only have to repeat the operation again in a 

 few days. 



Still another modification, in case no increase of bees but 

 rather comb honey is desired, is recommended by such 

 apiarists as Doolittle, Davis, and others. The queen is 

 caged seven days, the queen-cells in the hive are then 

 destroyed, the queen liberated, and everything is arranged 

 for immense yields of comb honey. In this case the queen 

 is idle, but the bees seem to have lost not one jot of their 

 energy. Dr. C. C. Miller, instead of caging the queen, 

 places her with a nucleus on top of the old hive, thus keep- 

 ing her at work, by exchange of frames. After seven days 

 he destroys the queen-cells in the old hive and unites the 

 nucleus with it. Here the queen is kept at work, the 

 swarming impulse subdued, and a mighty colony made 

 ready for business. This plan slightly modified has the 

 sanction of such admirable apiarists as Messrs. Elwood and 

 Hetherington. 



Two objections are sometimes raised right here. Sup- 

 pose several swarms issue at once, one of which is a second 

 swarm, which of course has a virgin queen, then all will 

 go off together, and our loss is grievous indeed. I answer 

 that second swarms are unprofitable and should never be 

 permitted. We should be so vigilant that this fate would 

 never befall us. If we will not give this close attention 

 without such stimulus, then it were well to have this 

 threatening danger hanging over us. Again, suppose we 

 are not right at hand when the swarm issues, the queen 

 wanders away and possibly is lost. Yes, but if undipped 

 the whole colony would go, now it is only the queen. 

 Usually the queen gets back. If not, a little looking will 



