THE EVOLUTION OF THE BEE-HIVE. 211 



death-rate, not so much for strengthening feeble stocks as to 

 leave a sufficient number of workers on hand for a coming honey 

 harvest. When artificial swarming is necessary strong colonies 

 only will admit of division for the purpose. 



37. It ought to be so constructed that, while well protec- 



ted from the weather, the sun may be allowed in early 

 spring to encourage breeding by warming up the hive. 



It is not so much in the construction of a hive as its situation 

 or location. It certainly should be so constructed as to be free 

 from damp, which is one of the greatest drawbacks to early brood 

 production. The site chosen should admit of the morning rays 

 of the early spring sun. 



38. The hive should be equally well adapted to be used as 

 a swarmer or non-swarmer. 



That is to say, it should be available for natural or artificial 

 swarming. Natural swarming, to my mind is far preferable to 

 artificial; at the same time there are conditions when artificial 

 swarming may be carried out to an advantage. There are now 

 in the market devices for controlling swarming. 



39. It should enable the apiarian to prevent a new swarm 

 from forsaking its hive. 



For this purpose the bar-frame hive has an advantage over all 

 others. The introduction of a frame of brood in all stages of de- 

 velopment, put in the hive before placing the new swarm therein, 

 greatly checks the desire for leaving ; or a piece of queen-excluding 

 zinc placed at the entrance so as to prevent the queen from leaving 

 is a certainty. 



40. It should enable the apiarian, if he allows his bees to 

 swarm, and wishes to secure surplus honey, to prevent 

 their swarming more than once in a season. 



Cent, per cent, is a very fair profit, and no one that is not 

 extra avaricious would wish for more. Some strains of bees seem 

 to have a mania for swarming. When a swarm leaves a colony 

 it carries with it at least a week's supply of honey. The more fre- 

 quently bees swarm the greater the shrinkage of honey. If the 

 object is to simply multiply colonies, then only should frequent 

 swarming be permitted. 



