32 BEE-FARMING. 



first swarm to go ofF procure a Bee-Farmer's Hive and hive 

 the sv/arm into it. This vs^ill be far better than placing the 

 old stock in the new hive, for the swrarm, being nearly all 

 young bees, are full of vigour, and therefore lose no time 

 in filling their new domicile with comb. 



A few homely hints will here be useful. First, take 

 care you are not purchasing " a pig in a sack." Examine 

 carefully if all the drones are dead. In most cases you can 

 easily ascertain this by observing all around the bee-bench. 

 In every vigorous stock the drones should now be all dead, 

 and they v/ill be seen lying on the ground before the en- 

 trance of the hive. If any of these gentry are seen buzzing 

 about and taken freely into the hive as old friends, have 

 nothing to do with the stock, for the certainty is, it is a 

 queenless colony, therefore valueless, except for the honey. 

 Another point must not be overlooked. You are liable, if 

 inexperienced, to have old stocks foisted upon you. Puff 

 a little smoke into the entrance of the hive, then lift it 

 gently from the stand and examine the combs. If they 

 are black and dirty-looking refuse the stock, because by this 

 simple test you are sure it is an old colony, and it may 

 prove to be worthless in the coming season ; but, if the 

 combs are a fresh-looking straw-colour, it is a young stock. 

 Seo.-.re it as a prize. Before buying them, however, go 

 some dull rainy day. If you observe the bees flying about 

 briskly have a care what you are doing. Bees in a good 

 condition will be quiet in such weather, but others in a 

 starving state will be compelled to forage as best they can. 

 As the golden rule is, have strong stocks, it would be 

 advisable to see that the colony is strong before taking 

 them home. A poor stock seldom proves useful. 



Let it be with your bees as with a wife, " never take 

 them on the recommendation of another person." The 

 advice given by Wildman is very good : " The person who 

 intends to erect an apiary should purchase a proper number 



