THE farmer’s manual. 
16T 
ihering the swarm, when they take their honey — 
both are bad ; and the latter is not only bad, as 
being unprofitable, but absolutely cruel, and unne- 
cessarily so. To remedy these evils, the Apiarians 
in all countries have been led to the iinprovemenf, 
both in the form of the hive, and method of dividing 
the profits of their lalioiirs with the Bees, and yet 
preserve the swarms. H.\()py for the cause both of 
interest and humanity, they have succeeded. Had 
these Amateurs been agreed in one result, as being 
the best of all their experiments, I might now say so, 
and close this chapter with their joint recommenda- 
tion ; but their decisions are so various, it may be 
useful to sketch a few of their improvements, as ex- 
emplified in the form of their hives. 
The storying system has been, and is now, greatly 
apftroved in F ranee, and was invented by Gelieu ; yet 
this system has its opposers now, even in France, 
and with some severity. All are agreed, that the sto- 
ryirig system has its advantages, as well as some dis- 
advantages ; yet one thing is certain, it divides the 
labours, or profits, of the Bees, without injury, or dis- 
turbance, to their lives, or labours. This system has 
also been strongly approved and recommended by 
Bonner, in Scotland ; also by Ducouedic, of the 
C.inton of Maure. This is the common straw 
hive placed on a pedestal, or table. The Bees it 
contains were a swarm of the 21st of June, 1812. 
In this state, they passed the summer, autumn, 
and winter, and on the 21st of March, 1813, it 
would be nine months old. On the 21st of March, 
1813, the first story will be added to it, and this 
is called a Scotch hive, in compliment to Bon- 
ner. This hive will remain in the slate of a sin- 
gle story, for an entire year, to the 21st of March, 
1814. If the population of the hive has been consi- 
derable, and the season favourable, during the first 
year, it may be expected in the second to throw off 
one or two strong swarms. On the return of the 
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