26 ■ MANUAL OF THE APIAEY. 



•which to deposit. That the workers should not have too long intervals of idle- 

 ness, even though flowers are wanting or fail to yield honey, for as we have seen 

 idleness of the queen follows, and of course depletion of worker bees. That 

 colonics should never be queenless, or at least that such a condition should be 

 very rare, and very brief ; that colonies should be increased so as to involve the 

 least loss, and least disturbance ; that storing should never cease for want of 

 room in which to store ; that indolence should never be necessitated from a too 

 high temperature inside the hive ; that the bees should be in a locality where 

 honey plants are abundant ; that the bees should be so wintered as not to dwin- 

 dle ; that foul-brood should be known and prevented; that only the best 

 bees should be kept; and, last, but perhaps most important of all, that the 

 hives, though cheap and simple, should be so constructed as to secure honey in 

 the most desirable condition, and admit the most free and easy access to the 

 bees, so that the apiarist may know the exact condition of all his colonies at all 

 times, and be able to administer timely aids whenever circumstances shall 

 require it. 



TO SECUKB NATURAL SWAEMS. 



To prevent anxiety and constant watching, and to secure a more equable division 

 of bees, and as I know more honey, it is better to provide against natural swarm- 

 ing entirely by use of means which will appear in the sequel. But as this re- 

 quires some experience, and as often through neglect, either necessary or culpa- 

 ble, swarms may issue, every apiarist should be ever ready with both means 

 and knowledge for immediate action. The means are good hives in readiness, 

 a good jack-knife, 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 diam- 

 eter, and this receptacle so made that it may be attached to the end of a pole. 

 Two such poles, one very long, and the other shorter, and either a sheet, or 

 light thin board platform, three by five feet, planed and strengthened by cross 

 strips. 



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

 place the sheet or platform on the ground near by, with the hive upon it, near 

 one end. The side of the hive facing the vacant space, of either platform or 

 sheet, should be raised a half inch, by inserting two blocks underneath, so the 

 bees can have a good chance to enter. As soon a? the bees are fully clustered, 

 we must manage as best we can to empty the whole cluster in front of the hive. 

 As the bees are full of honey we need have little fear of stings. Should the 

 bees be on a twig that could be sacrificed, this might be easily cut off with 

 either the knife or saw, and so carefully as hardly to disturb the bees ; then 

 carry and shake the bees in front of the hive, when with joyful hum they will 

 at once proceed to enter. If the twig must not be cut, shake them all into the 

 basket, and empty before the hive. Should they be on a tree trunk, or a fence, 

 then brush them with the wing into the basket, and proceed as before. If they 

 are high up on a tree, take the pole and basket, and perhaps a ladder will also 

 be necessary. 



Always let ingenuity have its most perfect work, not forgetting that the ob- 

 ject to be gained is to get just as many of the bees as is possible on the platform 

 in front of the hive. Carelessness as to the quantity might involve the loss of 

 the queen, which would be serious. The bees ^vill not remain unless the queen 

 enters the hive. Should a cluster form where it is impossible to brush or shake 

 them off, they can be driven into a basket, or hive, by holding it above them 



