198 DIVISION OF A SWARM. 



swarms, which is to be found in the works of the foreign 

 apiarians, particularly the French, who speak of swarms 

 weighing twenty or thirty pounds each, containing about 

 forty or fifty thousand bees. In the case of the junction of 

 second swarms, this circumstance would not be prejudicial 

 to the proprietor ; for on their being hived, the bees would 

 kill the superfluous queens, and one good stock would then 

 be formed, which is at any time better than three weak ones. 

 Supposing them, however, to be first swarms, it is the 

 interest of the proprietor to keep them separate, and their 

 junction becomes therefore a calamity. It has however, its 

 remedy, and the following is the process to be pursued. 



The swarm being collected into one hive, a sheet must be 

 spread on the ground ; the hive must be held over it, and on 

 giving it a smart knock at the top, the bees will all fall upon 

 it ; no fear need be entertained of their flying away, and the 

 search must be immediately instituted for the queens. Their 

 immediate presence may be ascertained by small groups 

 being collected round them. Having attained to the cer- 

 tainty of a queen being in the midst of a group, cover them 

 with a small bell glass or tumbler, and then proceed to 

 divide the bees as nearly as possible into two equal propor- 

 tions. For this purpose, two hives must be in readiness, and 

 a queen must be put into each ; continue to portion out the 

 bees to each queen, until the entire division has been effected : 

 then take the two hives, and place them at the greatest pos- 

 sible distance from each other. A little confusion may at 

 first occur; but if a certainty exists that there is a queen bee 

 in the hive, perfect tranquillity and peace will be found 

 restored on the following morning. No further fear then 

 remains of a re-union. 



Supposing the swarm to be hived in the morning, which 

 is the general time of swarming, the hive however must not 

 be moved until late in the evening, in order that sufficient 

 time may be given for the stragglers to regain the hive. We 



