ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 233 



ordinarily put into one of our hives. The queen, in such a 

 hive, has ample room to lay daily, her three thousand or 

 more eggs, and an immense colony is raised, which often 

 stores enormous supplies of honey. As all the frames in 

 my hives are of the same dimensions, the size of the hive 

 may be conveniently varied, to suit the views of different 

 bee-keepers ; for it may be large or small, according to the 

 number of frames designed to be used. 



This whole subject of the proper size of hives, certainly 

 needs to be taken emirely out of the region of conjecture, 

 and put upon the basis of careful observations. Unquestion- 

 ably, the size will require, in some respects, to be modified by 

 the more or less favornble character of a district, for bee- 

 keeping ; but I am satisfied that small hives will be found of 

 but little profit, and that large ones, unless well stocked with 

 bees, from the first, and thoroughly protected, will seldom 

 answer any good end. If I should find, on further experi- 

 ment, that very large hives are better, my hives are at pres- 

 ent so constructed, that without any alteration of existing 

 parts, they can easily be supplied with the required additions. 

 I have already mentioned, that to save expense, I sometimes 

 build my hives, two or three in one structure. I do not, 

 however, wish to be considered as recommending such hives 

 as best for general use. For some purposes, a single hive 

 is unquestionably betler, as it can be easily moved by one 

 person ; and this will often be found to be a point of great 

 importance. 



It has been already stated that the queen bee cannot be 

 induced to sting, by any kind of treatment however severe. 

 The reason of this strange unwillingness to use her natural 

 and powerful weapon, will be obvious, when we consider 

 how indispensable to the very existence of the colony, is the 

 preservation of her life, and that her sting, the loss of which 

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