AETIFICIAL SWARMING. 
173 
moved, are all arranged in a continued line, the bees, instead 
of leaving them, will stoutly defend them against the 
thieving pi opensities of other bees. 
In returning the frames,’ care must be taken not to 
crush the bees between them and the rabbets on which 
they rest; they should be put in so sloioly, that a bee, on 
feeling the slightest pressure, may have a chance to creep 
fi’om under them before it is hurt. In shutting up the 
hive, the surplus honey-board should be carefully sKd on, 
so that any bees which are in the way may be pushed 
before it, instead of being crushed. A beginner will find 
it to his advantage to practice—using an empty hive—the 
directions for opening and shutting hives, and lifting out 
the frames, until confident that he fully understands them. 
If any bees are where they would be imprisoned by clos¬ 
ing the upper cover, it should be propped up a little, until 
they have flown to the entrance of the hive: (PI. VII., 
Fig. 20.) 
An artificial colony may be made in five minutes from C 
the time a hive is opened, if the queen is seen as quickly ( 
as she often is, by an expert. Fifteen minutes is, on an ) 
average, ample time to complete the whole work. In less / 
than a week, if the weather is pleasant, an Apiarian with ) 
a hundred old stocks, by devoting to them a few hours 
every day, can, without any assistance, easily finish the/ 
business of swarming for the wltole season. 
But if the formation of artificial swarms is delayed, as it 
always should be (p.-), till near the time* for natural 
swarming, how can the bee-keeper, unless constantly on 
band, escape the risk of losing some of his best swarms ? J 
B he prefers to dispense entirely with natural swarming, S 
be may deprive his fertile queens of their wings: (see j 
* It Will 1)0 easy—with movable«comb hlvea—to detormlno, by an occasional 
‘uspectlon, when the season for natural swuruiing is aiiprouchlng. 
