UNITING 835 
Unitine. 
633. A queenless colony, in the Fall, should always be 
united to some other hive. 
If two or more colonies, which are to be united in the 
Fall, are not close together, their hives must be gradually 
drawn nearer, and the bees may then, with proper precau- 
tions, be put into the same hive. For this purpose, it is 
well to kill the poorest queen (if both have queens) and 
keep the best. This may be dispensed with, but the pru- 
dent bee-keeper will never neglect an opportunity to im- 
prove his stock. On a cool November day, the combs of 
the weaker colony that bear the cluster, should be lifted 
all together, and inserted in the other hive, after the bees 
of the latter have been thoroughly frightened with smoke. 
(382.) 
634. If, when two colonies are put together, the bees in 
the one on the old stand are not gorged with honey, they 
will often attack the others, and speedily sting them to 
death, in spite of all their attempts to purchase immunity, 
by offering their honey. The late Wm. W. Cary, of Cole- 
raine, Massachusetts, who has long been an accurate 
observer of the habits of bees, united colonies very success- 
fully, by alarming those that were on the old stand; as soon 
as they showed by their notes, that they were subdued, he 
gave them the new-comers. The alarm which causes them 
to gorge themselves with honey, puts them, doubtless, upon 
their good behavior, long enough to give the others a fair 
chance. 
They can also be made to unite peaceably, by sprinkling a 
little sweet-scented water on them (485). It is well to put 
a slanting board in front of the entrance (603 bis) to show 
the moved bees that their location is changed. The empty 
hive should be removed from its place to prevent the bees 
