112 “ (TREATISE ON THE 
the want of sufficient practical ‘skill, in most 
of those who apply themselves to Bee hus- 
-bandry. In many cases, however, it might 
be had recourse to with great advantage, 
and in someit is indispensable, if it is desired 
to reap the full benefit of the stock. It saves 
the watching necessary in the case of natu- 
ral swarms, and if conducted on right 'prin- 
ciples, renders the artificial colony quite in- 
dependent of the casualities to which natural 
swarms are liable. Moreover, it secures the 
multiplication of swarms in cases where, if 
left to the natural process, there would be 
none. Should a continued tract of bad wea- 
ther take place about the usual period of 
swarming, the old queen would have time 
and opportunity to destroy all the royal pro- 
geny, for the Bees never oppose the queen 
mother in such cases, and thereby entirely 
frustrate the hope of multiplication by natural 
swarms. ‘T’o avoid this evil we must have 
recourse to artificial swarming. The gene- 
ral period proper for the operation is about 
eight or ten days previous to the time when 
Le 
