MANUAL OP THE APIARV. 177 



practice, to which I cannot even lend my approval by so much 

 as detailing the method. I would rather advise : keeping a 

 queen, and the workers all at work in every hive, if possible, 

 all the time. 



HOW TO MULTIPLY COLONIES WITH THE BEST RESULTS. 



We have already seen the evils of natural swarming, 

 for, even though no stock is too much reduced in numbers, 

 no colony lost by not receiving prompt attention, no Sunday 

 <juiet disturbed, and no time wasted in anxious watching, yet, 

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

 state of things which no apiarist can or should afford. 

 The true 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 queen- 

 less, 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, 

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

 preferable to swarming. I have practiced dividing ever since 

 I. have kept bees, and never without the best results. 



now 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 

 w^ell 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 fertile 

 ■queen, and remove the same close along side the colony we 

 vnsh to divide. This must only be done on warm days 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 remain- 

 ing frames and shake the bees into the new hive. Only be sure 

 that the queen still remains in the old hive. Fill both the 



