270 miner's AMERICAN 



populous, and probably highly prosperous ; yet but few 

 more bees will exist in February, and March following, 

 than would exist, if a swarm were suffered to issue ; but 

 the labors of the extra number of bees existing during 

 the summer, are not lost, as the honey and wax in the 

 nadir will testify. 



It is very important to know how far supering, or 

 placing boxes over the hives, will prevent swarming. I 

 have never found supers eight inches deep to prevent 

 swarming with me ; neither have I found the boxes in 

 chamber-hives, to prevent it in the least. I always let 

 the bees into the supers in April, and I get my regular 

 swarms. If supers should be placed on of the full size 

 of the hive, swarming would be likely to be prevented ; 

 but there is nothing certain to prevent an issue but na- 

 diring, or collateral hiving, in such a manner as to throw 

 two hives into one, or nearly so, from the capacity of 

 the openings between them. 



STRONG FAMILIES ALWAYS RECOMMENDED. 



I cannot too deeply impress on the bee-keeper's mind, 

 the necessity of keeping very strong families in all 

 cases, if possible. I will illustrate this point, as follows : 

 a family of 15,000 bees is supposed to occupy a hive 

 one foot square in the clear, or inside. That family 

 will, if left undivided, lay up sufficient honey in one 

 season, to carry them safely through the winter, and 

 have forty pounds surplus that goes as profit to their 

 owner. Now, what would be the result if they should 

 be divided into four families ; each with a queen at its 



