Tine HIVE AND IIONICY-BEE. 
102 
labors of tlia hive. The iinprisonocl bees ought to be 
8npj)lic(l with water, to enable them to prepare food for 
the larvse. In the common hive this may be injected with 
a straw through a gimlet-hole. 
Where artifiei.al swarming is practiced on a large scale, 
I have devised a plan which I very much prefer to any pre- 
^'iously described. Let the Apiarian obtain a forced swarm* 
from some bee-keeper, a mile or two off, or from one of 
his own stocks, c.arried that distance before the bees began 
to work in the Spring. Bringing it home, according to 
the directions subsequently given for transporting bees, 
let it be confined in a cool place, so as to h.ave plenty of 
air. Late in the afternoon, or early next morning, let him 
force four or fivef sivarms, placing them, at once, on the 
stands of the parent-stocks, and these latter where it is in¬ 
tended they sh.all permanently remain. The forced swarm, 
brought from a distance, should now be shaken out on a 
sheet, a foot or more from a hive, and gently sprinkled, so 
as to prevent any bees frofti taking wing. With a saucer, 
scoop up, without hurting any of them, as many bees as 
you can, and carry them to the mouth of one of the old 
stocks, from which you have driven a swarm. Continue 
to do this, until you have about equally ajijiortioned the 
bees, and if any remain on the sheet, carry it to the mouth 
of the hive which has received the least.J These bees, 
having no previous home in your Apiary, will adhere to 
the different hives in which they are placed, and thus, 
* If ho delays artificial swarming nntil natural swarms begin to issuo, he may 
Qse them in the same way. 
t An expert will force them all In the time usually taken by n novice to force 
one As soon os a forcing-box is placed over ono hive, ho will remove anotlisr 
Vom Its stand, and then the rest, and in dniinrnlng them will pass from one to 
another, so as to lose not a moment's time In the whole operation. Ton artificial 
swarms, or oven more, may be made, in this way, in less than an hotii after sun* 
rise or before sunset. 
X The queen should bo lookod for, and the hive noted to which she is given. H 
kbu has entered tho empty hive, she may bo easily secured. 
