154 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



colony is made up from two or three old ones. 

 Remove the bees that adhere to the combs, place an 

 embryo queen or royal cell in one of the combs. 

 Combs containing brood should in all cases be 

 placed as near the centre as possible ; blow a little 

 smoke among the bees, close up the hive, covering 

 the frames and bees as before described with a cloth, 

 and remove them to a distance, if possible ; if the 

 older workers return to their respective hives to any 

 great extent, few will be left to carry on the affairs 

 of the new colony, and sometimes they will almost 

 cease to work for three or four days, until the num- 

 ber is increased by those emerging from the cells, or 

 by taking bees from some other hive to strengthen 

 it. To remove new colonies of this kind to the dis- 

 tance of a mile, is the most certain and least trouble. 

 Let them remain until the queen becomes fertile, 

 when they can be returned to the apiary. Bees unite 

 very easily at the season of the year proper for 

 making swarms. 



I would again caution bee-keepers, who make new 

 colonies from two or more hives, to examine each 

 comb with the greatest care, scrutinizing every bee 

 closely to see that the old queen is. left in her own 

 hive. By careless handling, the queen might be 

 removed from each of the old hives and placed to- 

 gether in the new one, which would be a serious loss. 

 It is necessary in making artificial swarms, to 

 secure enough mature worker bees to protect the 

 brood from the cold, and attend to all the domestic 

 affairs of the colony. 



