44 THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



80. Dividing one Colony, in a Bar-frame Hive, 

 into Two. — If one colony is wished to be divided, we go to 

 the hive and shift it to another position, not less than two 

 yards away, then place a fresh hive in the position vacated by 

 this stock. Next remove three frames of brood bees and queen 

 from the stock into the empty hive, and fill up with three 

 frames of foundation, alternating them with the full combs ; 

 also replace the frames removed from stock with fresh ones 

 of foundation or empty combs. If a fertile queen can be given 

 to this stock, much time and honey will be saved. 



81. Dividing Two Colonies into Three. — Remove 

 half the number of frames of brood from one hive (No. l), 

 but brush or shake the bees back into it ; then place 

 these combs in a fresh hive (No. 3). Now remove another 

 strong stock (No. 2) to a fresh stand, and place the new hive 

 (No. 3) in the position vacated by No. 2. Thus No. i provides 

 brood ; No. 2, bees ; and No. 3 receives the bees flying from 

 No. 2, and will rear a fresh queen, and hatch the brood given 

 to it. A queen can be given to No. 3 in about seven or eight 

 hours (see "Queen Introduction"}. The hive (No. i) from 

 which the frames were removed, must have them replaced with 

 sheets of foundation, and No. 3 must have three sheets given 

 them, to be increased gradually to the full complement as the 

 first ones placed in are gradually drawn out. Empty combs are 

 much better than sheets of foundation. 



82. Forming a Colony from an Indefinite Number 

 of Others. — Remove a frame with queen and bees from a colony, 

 and a frame, without bees, from each of the other colonies until 

 the required number (six or seven) is obtained ; then place this fresh 

 hive in the position occupied by a very strong stock. 



All these manipulations must be performed on a very fine 

 day when the bees are flying freely, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

 not after or before such times, and during the swarming 

 season ; the hives must also be thickly populated. Unless all 

 these conditions are observed, failure is certain. 



83. Hiving ITatural Swarm. — When the bees have 

 clustered in a compact mass on a branch, a perfectly clean skep 

 should be held under them ; then shake the whole mass into it, 

 and turn it right way up upon the ground. For a few seconds 

 all is quiet, then a loud hum is heard as the bees run up into 

 the dome-shaped roof. It is the best plan to place the floor- 

 board of the hive upon the ground, and turn the skep upon this. 

 If the queen has not been shaken in with the cluster, they will, 

 in a few minutes, vacate the hive and join the queen in the 

 position occupied by her. If the queen is inside the skep, the 

 bees outside will gradually converge towards it, and quickly 



