On Artificial Swarms. 
59 
4. In the case of the bees of a hive losing 
their queen in the winter, the colony may be 
preserved, comb and all, by placing the hive 
either above or below another one in good 
condition ; care, however, being first taken to 
sprinkle a small quantity of run honey or syrup 
over the bees, blowing in, at the same time, a 
puff or two of tobacco smoke. By taking these 
precautions, all fighting will usually be avoided. 
The uniting of stocks should always take place 
at nightfall. 
5. If a hive or any portion of a hive is filled 
with comb, but contains no bees, the best plan 
is to remove it, when the spring comes, and 
place it under a hive in good condition ; the bees 
will then hasten to take advantage of it. 
6. When a hive contains several combs in bad 
condition, whether full of honey or not, they 
can be removed ; new comb, if it is at hand, 
being substituted. In any case, the bees will 
always make new comb in the place of that 
which has been removed. 
7. It is possible at every season of the year to 
remove all the comb from one hive into another. 
Thus, an easy method is always at hand for 
ascertaining whether the queen is in the hive 
