MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 173 



«till better, with a frame or two of brood, honey, etc., in the 

 middle, which were taken from the old hive, is set on a new 

 stand. The old hive, with all the queen-cells except the largest 

 and finest one remaved, is set back, so that the apiarist has 

 forestalled the issue of after-swarms, except that other queen- 

 cells are afterward started, which is not likely to happen. 

 The old queen is liberated as before, and we are in the way 

 of soon having two good colonies. Some apiarists cage the 

 queen and let the bees return, then divide the colony as soon 

 to be described. 



Some extensive apiarists, who desire to prevent increase of 

 colonies, cage the old queen, destroy 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 energies in 

 storing honey. Southard and Ranney have been very suc- 

 cessful in the practice of this method. If building of drone- 

 comb in the empty frames which replaced the brood-frames 

 removed, should vex the apiarist — Dr. Southard says they had 

 no such trouble — it could be prevented by giving worker- 

 foundation. If the swarming fever is not broken up, we 

 shall only have to repeat the operation again in a few days. 



HIVING SWARMS. 



But in clipping wings, some queens may be omitted, or from 

 taste, or other motive, some bee-keepers may not desire to "de- 

 form her royal highness." Then the apiarist must possess the 

 means to save the would-be rovers. The means are good 

 hives in readiness, some kind of a brush — a turkey-wing will 

 •do — and a bag or basket, with ever open top, which should be 

 at least eighteen inches in diameter, and this receptacle so 

 made that it may be attached to the end of a pole, and two 

 such poles, one very long and the other of medium length. 



Now, let us attend to the method : As soon as the cluster 

 commences to form, place the hive on the ground near by, 

 leaving the entrance widely open, which with our bottom- 



