ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 213 



enter the hive. Bees seem lo recognize each other by the 

 sense of smell ; and when made to have the same odor, they 

 ■will always mingle peaceably. This is the reason why I 

 use a few drops of peppermint in the sugar-water. 



In doubling swarms in this manner, it will never be safe to 

 attempt to mingle first and second swarms unless they are 

 first thoroughly scented so that they cannot distinguish each 

 other. Bees which have a fertile queen, will almost always 

 quarrel with those which have one still unimpregnated, and 

 this is the reason why when new swarms attempt to mingle of 

 their own accord, or are put together by the bee-keeper, 

 thousands of bees are often destroyed. 



If an increase of only one third is desired, and the Apiarian 

 chooses to rely on natural swarming, as soon as he has hived 

 a swarm, he should remove the hive from which it issued, and 

 put the new swarm in its place. It will thus secure nearly 

 all the bees and will make a very powerful colony. The 

 old stock from which it came, should now be put on the stand 

 of another powerful stock, to be replenished with bees, and 

 this third stock removed to a new location. Of all the va- 

 rious methods of practicing natural swarming, I consider 

 this to be the very best. If the colonies stand close together, 

 • all these various processes will be much better performed 

 when the hives are all alike in shape and color. If the bees 

 are very near together, and the hives quite unlike, they should 

 not be attempted, except with the precautions which have 

 been previously described. 



Beginners will find it very important to follow as closely as 

 they can, my directions for performing the various"t)rocesses, 

 Eis I have constantly aimed to give none which are not 

 important ; and while I utterly repudiate the notion that these 

 directions may not be modified and improved, I am quite 



