34 
NATURAL SWARMING. 
out the frames containing the least honey. If one of the queens 
is known to he very old, she may he taken away. After closing 
the hive, place it upon the stand previously occupied by the 
stronger of the united swarms. In uniting bees, when the 
weather is warm enough for them to fly, it must not be forgotten 
that, unless carried a mile or more away, they are strongly in- 
clined to return to their old stand. To prevent this, give abun- 
dant ventilation, and close the entrance till near sunset. Close 
it again early next morning, opening it half an hour before sun- 
set to permit the bees to fly. On the morning of the third day 
blow a little smoke into the hive and leave the entrance open, as 
the removed colony will not now return to its former stand. New 
swarms, before being hived, have given up their established loca- 
tion, and two or more of them may be joined together and placed 
upon any stand desired. 
Second swarms are often worth but little, if hived separately. 
But, if two are united, they will seldom fail to fill their hive and 
be in good condition for wintering. When using the common 
hive, they should be united if practicable, but with movable 
comb hives their issue should be prevented. 
Swarms issuing the same day will unite peaceably, or a swarm 
may be joined to another that has been hived three or four days; 
but, after that, a union is more difficult in the common hive. 
When such swarms do not issue about the same time, so as to he 
hived together, let them stand in separate hives till sunset. Then 
place the one first hived upon a sheet, raising the edge of the 
hive that the other swarm may enter. Bring the other hive and 
shake the bees out upon the sheet. If the queen is seen, while 
