54 Bee-keeping for Beginners. 



mixed with peppermint. Throw this lot of bees 

 quickly on a sheet in front of the bar- frame hive. 

 Then quickly treat the second and third in the same 

 way, throwing them on top of each other. They will 

 all run in, queens as well, and being scented alike, 

 they will not know friends from enemies, and will 

 settle down as one stock. There will be a battle royal 

 between the queens, which will be settled by the 

 death of all save one. The fittest will survive. For 

 feeding such an immense lot it is better to take the 

 Im-ge feeder previously mentioned, and give a large 

 quantity of syrup at once. They will quickly carry 

 it down, store it, and seal it: Some of my best stocks 

 of bees have been obtained this way. The labour of 

 the bees can further be saved if frames of comb are 

 given to them instead of sheets of foundation. After 

 so much knocking about, it sometimes happens that 

 bees will desert their new quarters, and swarm on a 

 neighbouring bush. If they do, put them in again, 

 and they will probably remain, especially if some syrup 

 is over the frames. If they still shew a desire to desert 

 the hive, a frame of honey and brood might be given 

 them from another hive. On the principle that bees 

 never desert brood, they will remain. There is, 

 however, seldom any need for all this trouble. 



