168 Of the artificial Swarming of Bees. 
CAP. RET Ke 
OF THE ARTIFICIAL SWARMING OF BEES, _ 
A LTHOUGH, in moft cafes, bees are beft di- 
rected by natural infting, and on that account ~ 
ave only £2,000 at work in both hives, whereas, the fame — 
number of bees in onz hive, requiring only 2.900 to be devoted - 
to thefe employments, will allow 14,000 to be conftantly employed 
a 
in the fields, and of courfe one feventh part more honey and wax 
, eis x tas ¥: J 
may be produced in the courfe of the feafon. There-are alfo 
ther advantages arifing from fuch a junction of {mall fwarms 
They require, for inftance, only one place in the garden ; bein 
. more in number's they afford more heat. to bring forward the 
young, and they are more able to defend the hive from roles 
Sc. sce, - 
And here it may be both ufeful and entertaining, to take n 
tice of the various weights and numbers of different fwarms. «) 
‘has been found, (fays Buruer,) that a ‘larger number tha 
Ao or $0, 000 will not thrive together in one hive. S warn 
often amount to 30,000; a large {warm may weigh eig! 
pounds, and gradually lefs to one pound; confequently 
“ very good one weighs five or fix pounds, a moderate o 
* four pounds. No BS lefs than this fhould be kept, b 
“ united with others.” If we confider that about sooo be 
weigh a pound, afwarm weighing four pounds, will have ne: 
about 20, 009 bees, which will coOmpofe a very good fwarm. 
But [ am of opinion, that a fwarm, coniifting of 15,000 bees, w 
do very wee | in a fingle hive, if the feafon is not too far adval 
pea i coglele have had above 30,000 bees in one ee 
