190 Sow to Increase Artificially. 



at best, the old colony is queenless for about two weeks ; a 

 state of things which no apiarist can or should afford. Thetrue 

 policy then is to practice artificial swarming, as just described, 

 where we save time by cutting the queen's wing, and save loss 

 by permitting no colony to remain queenless, or still better to 



DIVIDE. 



This method will secure uniform colonies, will increase our 

 number of colonies just to our liking, will save time, and that 

 when time is most valuable, and is in every respect safer and 

 more desirable than swarming. I have practiced dividing 

 ever since 1 have kept bees, and never without the best results. 



HOW TO DIVIDE. 



By the process already described, we have secured a goodly 

 number of fine queens, which will be in readiness at the 

 needed time. Now, as soon as the white clover harvest is 

 well commenced, early in June, we may commence operations. 

 If we have but one colony to divide, it is well to wait till they 

 become pretty populous, but not till they swarm. Take one 

 of our waiting hives, which now holds a nucleus with laying 

 queen, and place the same close along side the colony we wish 

 to divide. This must be done on a warm day when the bees 

 are active «, and better be done while the bees are busy, in the 

 middle of the day. Remove the division-board of the new 

 hive, and then remove five combs well loaded with brood, and 

 of course containing some honey, from the old colony, bees 

 and all, to the new hive. Also take the remaining frames and 

 shake the bees into the new hive ; only be sure that the queen 

 still remains in the old hive. Fill both the hives with empty 

 frames — if the frames are filled with empty comb it will be 

 still better, if not, it will always pay to give full frames of 

 foundation — and return the new hive to its former position. 

 The old bees will return to the old colony, while the young 

 ones will remain peaceably with the new queen. The old col- 

 ony will now contain at least seven frames of brood, honey, 

 etc., the old queen, and plenty of bees, so that they will work 

 on as though naught had transpired, though perhaps moved 

 to a little harder effort, by the added space and five empty 

 combs or frames of foundation. These last may be all placed 

 at one end, or placed between the others, though not so as to 



