220 A Modern Bee-Farm 



and the same method was afterward^ fully explained in 

 my pamphlet of 1886. It consisted in either making an 

 artificial swarm, and presently re-uniting ; or could be 

 adapted to natural swarming. 



Where a swarm is not seen to issue, a glance around at 

 the entrances of the hives only should show the bee-keeper 

 from which it came. Hitherto, all was life and activity, 

 but look ! here is your hive with the entrance clear of 

 bees, and but a few returning, while hardly one is seen to 

 issue ; it is the " calm after a storm." A closer inspec- 

 tion of the hive will reveal the true state of affairs, and 

 now remove all but one or two of the combs to another 

 hive standing by the original, with the entrance turned 

 away from the same. Secure the swarm in a skep or any 

 ■other convenient article, standing the same upon the 

 ground with clear space for ventilation under, and shade 

 above. As soon as most of the bees have entered or 

 clustered about the skep, carry the same to their original 

 location and shake them into the hive, having previously 

 arranged six or seven frames with full sheets of founda- 

 tion, or ^-inch strips of such ; and not more than two 

 frames of brood near the centre, with dummies at either 

 end. It seems hardly necessary to advise my readers 

 that no queen cells should be allowed on the two combs 

 of brood given to the swarms. Any attempt at forming 

 such should be discovered when occasionally adjusting 

 the new combs being built. 



The sections are to be replaced on the new swarm 

 which will soon receive so many bees in addition from 

 the removed combs that the remaining population will 

 give up any idea of again swarming, and will destroy all 

 but one queen. When the latter is mated and laying, 

 the brood will be hatched, when the old queen left with 

 the swarm is to be destroyed, and on the third evening 



