190 ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



hive with comb unfit for rearing workers, besides being so 

 long before they can have additions to their numbers, as to 

 be of little if any value. (See p. 175.) 



By making a few forced swarms, about a week or ten 

 days before the time in which the most should be made, the 

 Apiarian may be sure of having an abundance of sealed 

 queens almost mature, so that every swarm may have one. 

 If he can give each hive that needs it, an unhatched queen, 

 without removing her from her frame, so much the better ; 

 but if he has not enough frames with sealed queens, while 

 some of them contain two or more queens, he must proceed 

 as follows. 



With a very sharp knife, carefully cut out a queen cell, 

 on a piece of comb an inch or more square; cut a place in 

 one of the combs of the hive to which this cell is to be given, 

 just about large enough to receive it in a natural position, 

 and if it is not secure, with a feather, put a little melted wax, 

 where the edges meet. The bees will soon fasten it, so as 

 to make all right. Unless very great care is used in trans- 

 ferring these royal cells, the enclosed queens will be de- 

 stroyed, as their bodies, until they are nearly mature, are so 

 exceedingly soft, that a very slight compression of their 

 cell often kills them. For this reason, I prefer not to remove 

 them, until they are within three or four days of hatching. 

 As the forcing of a swarm may always be conducted, with 

 my hives, in such a manner that the Apiarian can be sure to 

 effect a suitable division of the bees, the process may be 

 performed at any time when the sun is above the horizon, 

 and the weather is not too unpleasant. It ought not to be 

 attempted when the weather is so cool as to endanger the 

 destruction of the brood by a chill ; and never unless when 

 there is not only sufficient light to enable the Apiarian to 

 see distinctly, but enough for the bees that take wing, to see 



