THOUSAND ANSWliRS 
257 
Q. How will it do to sprinkle with flour when uniting bees? 
A. It is practiced a good deal in England, but for some reason 
not much in this country. I think some have reported favorably, 
and some not. 
Q. If, in the spring, one should have a number of weak colo- 
nies, coultl they be united with stronger ones and not have any 
fighting? 
A. If you put two colonies together without any precaution, 
each one having its own queen, there is danger of fighting. A 
great many times I have safely united by taking one, two or three 
frames with adhering bees from one colony and simply placing 
beside the brood-nest in another hive. A safe way is to place 
one hive over the other with a common sheet of newspaper be- 
tween. The bees will gnaw a hole in the paper and gradually 
unite peaceably. 
Q. What is the best way to unite weak colonies? Shall I kill 
the queen, or will the bees do that? 
A. The bees will destroy one of tbe queens, but it may be 
better for the beekeeper to attend to that job. There will be more 
peaceful uniting if one colony has been queenless for two or 
three days. 
Q. (a) How do you work the newspaper plan for uniting two 
swarms ? 
(b) I have never seen it tried, but I presume one of the queens 
would have to be destroyed. What would be the proper way to 
manage it? 
A. (a) It is a very simple matter. Take a sheet of common 
newspaper, spread it over the top-bars of the one hive. Of course 
the bottom-board will be under the lower hive, and the cover 
over the upper hive. There will be no sort of entrance or opening 
into the upper hive, and no bee can get out of it until the bees 
gnaw a hole through the paper. Within a day or so they will 
gnaw a hole in the paper big enough for a single bee to pass at a 
time and the bees will pass through and mingle so slowly and 
quietly that there will be no quarreling, gradually tearing away 
more and more of the paper. In a few days or a week you can put 
all the frames of brood in one story. 
(b) If there is any choice of queens, kill the poorer, otherwise 
the bees will take care of the matter themselves. It is better if 
the lower hive remain on its old stand. 
Q. When uniting, do you leave any combs in the hive above 
