ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
179 
A certain rather than a rapid multiplication of stocks, 
is most needed. A single colony, doubling every year, 
would in ten years increase to 1,024 stocks, and in twenty 
years to over a million ! At this rate, our whole country 
might, in a few years, 'be stocked with bees; an increase 
of one-third, annually, would soon give us enough. This 
latter rate of increase should be encouraged, even if, in the 
Fall, the stocks are reduced (see Union of Stocks), to the 
Spring number ; as, in the long run, it will both keep the 
colonies in the most prosperous condition, and secure the 
largest yield of honey. 
I have never myself hesitated to sacrifice several colo- 
nies, in order to ascertain a single fact ; and it would 
require a large volume, to detail my various experiments 
on the single subject of artificial swarming. The practical 
bee-keeper, however, should never lose sight of the im- 
portant distinction between an Apiary managed princi- 
pally for purposes of observation and discovery, and one 
conducted exclusively with reference to pecuniary profit.* 
Any bee-keeper can easily experiment with my hives ; 
but he should do it, at first, only on a small scale, and if 
pecuniary profit is his object, should follow my directions, 
until he is sure that he has discovered others which are 
better. These cautions are given to prevent serious losses 
in using hives which, by facilitating all manner of experi- 
ments, may tempt the inexperienced into rash and un- 
profitable courses. Beginners, especially, should follow my 
directions as closely as possible ; for, although they may 
doubtless be modified and improved, it can only be done 
by those experienced in managing bees. 
Let me not be understood as wishing to intimate that 
perfection has been so nearly attained, that no more 
* Prof. Slebold says, that Berlepsch told him, that some of his hives “ had been 
very much prejudiced by the various scientific experiments .* 1 
