56 
ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
ensue both parts will often be deficient in numbers and stores for 
winter; whereas, had the stock been left until it could have 
spared a swarm, both would be prepared for winter, beside 
yielding ample returns in surplus honey as the reward of proper 
management. There will sometimes be a season when these 
conditions will not occur in all the stocks in the apiary. Such 
stocks should not be swarmed that season. The only safeguard 
against poor seasons is strong stocks, for they will work while 
others are idle. 
3d. The value of any method depends, in a great measure 
upon the certainty of, and the time required for, supplying the 
queenlese part with a fertile queen. Yet, the method any one 
should adopt, or whether he should allow his bees to swarm once 
naturally, will depend much upon his desire for increase of stocks, 
and the number of colonies or apiaries he may wish to manage. 
Hence, we shall describe several methods, contrasting their 
advantages and disadvantages with natural swarming. The 
practice of multiplying colonies by artificial means, has the fol- 
lowing advantages over natural swarming: 
1st. The trouble and risk of swarms issuing when the bee- 
keeper is absent, or several issuing about the same time and 
clustering together or leaving for the woods, is avoided. 
2d. As soon as the stocks are in proper condition they may 
all be swarmed when most convenient and you are certain of the 
increase; but in natural swarming, only a few days of bad 
weather will frequently cause the queen cells to be destroyed and 
swarming to be postponed for weeks and often till the next 
season. 
