VARIOUS METHODS. 243 



of the mother-colonies. If B had been first forced, and 

 then removed, it would have been seriously injured ; but as 

 it loses fewer bees than if it had swarmed, and retains its 

 queen, it will soon become almost as powerful as before it 

 was removed. 



The Apiarist, by treating a natural swarm as he has been 

 directed to treat a forced one, can secure an increase of one 

 colony from two ; and of all the methods of conducting nat- 

 ural swarming, in regions where rapid increase is not profi- 

 table, this is the best, provided the colonies do not stand too 

 close together, and the hives used in the process are some- 

 what similar in shape and color. 



475. Whenever the bee-keeper learns how to handle 

 the movable-frames safely he must dispense with the forcing- 

 box, and make his swarms by lifting out the frames from the 

 parent-stock, and shaking the bees from them, by a quick 

 jerking motion, upon a sheet, directly in front of the new 

 hive. 



If the hive contains much fresh honey, which is usually 

 very thin, the bees must be brushed off, for shaking them 

 off would also shake out a large amount of nectar (249). 



As soon as a comb is deprived of its bees, it should be 

 returned to the parent-stock. If one or two combs contain- 

 ing brood, eggs, and stores, are given to the forced swarm, 

 it will be much encouraged, and will need no feeding (606) 

 if the weather should be unfavorable. In removing the 

 frames, the bee-keeper should look for the queen, and give 

 the comb she is on, to the forced swarm, without shak- 

 ing off the bees. If he does not see her on the combs, 

 he will seldom after a little practice, fail to notice her, as 

 she is shaken on the sheet, and crawls towards the new hive. 

 The queen is seldom left on a frame after it has been shaken 

 so that most of the bees fall off (439). 



476. The more combs with brood are taken from A, the 

 less chance it will have to send forth a natural swarm with 

 its first hatched queen. 



