252 ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



hives ; but he should do it, at first, only on a small scale, 

 and if pecuniary profit is his object, shcnild follow our di- 

 rections, until he is sure that he has discovered others which 

 are better. These cautions are given to prevent serious 

 losses in using hives which, by facilitating all manner of 

 experimen'ts, may tempt the inexperienced into rash and 

 unprofitable courses. Beginners, especially, should follow 

 the directions here given as closely as possible ; for, although 

 they may doubtless be modified and improved, it can only 

 be done by those experienced in managing bees. 



Let us not be understood as wishing to intimate that per- 

 fection lias been so nearly attained, that no more important 

 discoveries remain to be made. On the contrary, we be- 

 lieve that apiculture is a growing science. Those who 

 have time and means should experiment on a large scale 

 with the movable- comb hives ; and we hope that every intel- 

 ligent bee-keeper who uses them, will ex[jeriment, at least, 

 on a small scale. In this way, we may hope that those 

 points in the natural history of the bee still involved in 

 doubt, will, ere long, lie satisfactorily explained. 



There is a large class of bee-keepers — not " bee-masters" 

 — who desire a hive which will give them, however ignorant 

 or careless, a large yield of honey from their bees. They 

 are easily captivated by the shallowest devices, and spend 

 their money and destroy their bees, to fill the purses of un- 

 principled men. There never will be a " royal road " to 

 profitable Vjee-keeping. Like all other branches of rural 

 economy, it demands care and experience ; and those who 

 are conscious of a strong disposition to procrastinate and 

 neglect, will do well to let bees alone, unless they hope, by 

 the study of their systematic industry, to reform evil habits 

 which are well nigh incurable. 



