86 
A YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 
bee-keepers to unite two weak colonies in the fall. Suppose 
a bee-keeper has two colonies in the fall, each occupying two 
combs. He unites them so they will winter better. If they 
would not quarrel and would stay wherever they were put, 
lie- could place the two frames of the one hive beside the 
two frames in the other hive, and the thing would be done. 
Now suppose that a thin division-board were placed between 
the two sets of combs, would he not see the same result ? 
Not quite, I think, but nearly so. They would hardly be so 
warm as without the division-board, but nearly so ; and both 
queens would be saved. In the spring it is desirable to keep 
the bees warm. If two colonies are in one hive, with a thin 
division-board between them, they will be much warmer 
than if in separate hives. The same thing is true in winter. 
I have had weak nuclei with two combs come through in 
good condition during a winter in which I lost heavily ; these 
nuclei having no extra care or protection other than being in 
a double hive. 
Now suppose we have 100 colonies that are all fed up for 
winter and they are then put into double hives. Please 
understand that there is little or no extra expense for these 
double hives. They are just the regular hives and 
we have the division-boards anyway ; only we take special 
pains to see that the division-board is perfectly bee- 
tight. If the hives are to be hauled home, as I haul mine 
each fall, there are only 50 instead of 100 to haul ; just half 
the bulk, and a much less weight than the 100 would be. 
Just half the hives are to be handled in taking in and out of 
winter quarters; just half the room is occupied in winter 
quarters; and I think, although I do not know, that the bees 
will winter better than if only one colony in a hive. If they 
are to be taken, in the spring, to a distant apiary, there is 
the advantage of hauling only 50 hives instead of 100. If, in 
the spring, any colony be found queenless it is in fine position 
to be united with Us fellow colony. 
