220 
SUMMER. 
swarms issue, they will generally mix peaceably, but 
in proportion as time intervenes between the issues, so 
will be the liability to quarrel. Yet, I have united two 
families of about equal numbers in the fall and spring, 
and, with a few exceptions, have had no difficulty. 
SWARM-CATCHER. 
There is another method of keeping swarms separate, 
contrived and used by a Mr. Loucks, of Herkimer Co., 
N. Y. He calls it a swarm-catcher ; ll^ has a half 
dozen of them, and says he would not do without for 
one season, for fifty dollars, as he has a large apiary. 
I made one as near as I could from seeing his, without 
taking the exact measure. I got out four light posts 
four and half feet long, one inch square; then twelve 
pieces of one-quarter inch stuff, four inches wide ; the 
four for the top twelve inches long, for the bottom two 
were fourteen inches long, and two were twenty. These * 
were thoroughly nailed on the ends of the posts, mak- 
ing it into an upright frame, the other four pieces were 
nailed around the middle, which made the frame firmer. 
I made a frame for the top, of four pieces, each an inch 
and a half in width, and half inch thick, halved at the 
ends and nailed together, and fastened by hinges to 
one side of the top, and a catch to hold it shut. The 
whole was now covered with very thin cloth to admit 
the light, but not so open as to let the bees through, 
(Mr. Loucks used cloth made for cheese-strainers.) I 
now had a covered frame four and half feet high, 12 
inches square at the top, at the bottom 14 by 20, with 
a door or lid at the top, to let out the bees. On each 
side of the bottom 1 tacked a piece of common muslin, 
