THE APIARY. 
437 
untoward conditions, it is wise to preserve the dis- 
placed queen until we know that the one we have 
selected is safe. 
Twin stocks unite peaceably of themselves if, one 
or two days after the displacement of one of the 
queens, the division-board be lifted (see page 303). 
Uniting before the honey harvest often gives us a 
gigantic stock for two not large enough separately to 
crowd into supers; and when the honey season has 
slackened, so that we can make a forecast of what our 
stock will be, preparation to meet the rigours of winter, 
by uniting all weak lots, can hardly be undertaken 
too soon. Should small nuclei still remain, three or 
four of these can be put together, care being taken 
that the store-combs occupy the sides, and the brood 
the centre. The danger is slight, since small stocks 
unite more readily than larger, and several families 
put together seem to lose mutual antipathies more 
quickly than where there are only two. Should the 
nuclei have previously stood together, the question of 
station gives no trouble ; but if not, make the union 
on a cold day, so that the bees will adhere to their 
combs, give a little smoke, and stand a board in front 
of the entrance (page 274), and but few bees will be 
lost, since the internal arrangements of the hive will 
be so changed as to attract their attention. 
Supercession of queens by their own bees, when from 
age or defect they are found to be failing (page 326), 
has already been noticed, and it is a question of 
practical importance to determine whether the bees 
should be allowed to follow their instinct, or the bee- 
keeper should himself supply a young queen at times 
