ARTIFICIAL SWAEMING. 91 



follow the rule of the bees themselves. "When a swarm 

 comes oflE' naturally, bees enough are left to cover the 

 combs barely or thinly, so that the brood of the hive may 

 be all hatched. In artificial swaiming we leave the 

 combs of the old hive as well covered with bees as in 

 natural swarming. If too many have been driven up with 

 the swarm, we put a few spoonfuls back ; and if too few 

 have gone with the swarm, we drum up a few more, and 

 unite them. A very little experience wOl make this mat- 

 ter safe and easy to the hand and judgment of the reader. 



In bee-houses, and where many hives are standing close 

 together, there is some difficulty in placing the swarm and 

 mother hive aright, so as to prevent the bees of the one 

 going into the other. When each can be placed at least 

 four feet from the old stand, one to the right and the 

 other to the left, there is scope for successful action in 

 this matter. We always succeed' — though there may be 

 less than four feet on each side ; but then we have to use 

 a little stratagem. The front of the hives and flight-boards 

 have to be disfigured, so that the bees may not know or 

 discover the entrance of the old hive. When the doors 

 of the two are near each other, the bees of the swarm are 

 apt to go into the mother hive. This we prevent by so 

 altering the appearance of the door for a day or two that 

 the bees do not know it. A few pieces of broken bricks 

 or stones or coals laid on the flight -board up to the 

 entrance answer admirably. After the swarm has been 

 at work for a day or two, the bees will not go back to 

 the mother hive. 



The reader will remember our saying that the farther 

 hives are placed asunder the better ; and where the arti- 

 ficial system of swarming is practised, the wisdom of that 

 remark will be acknowledged. Artificial swarms must 

 not, like natural ones, be placed 12, or 20, or 40 yards from 

 the stands whence they were taken ; for if they are taken 



