ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
143 
I 
CHAPTER X. 
ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
The numerous efforts made for more than fifty years, 
to dispense with natural swarming, show the anxiety of 
Apiarians to find some better mode of increasing their 
colonies. 
Although, by the control of the combs, bees may be 
propagated by natural swarming, with a rapidity and cer¬ 
tainty hitherto unattainable, still, there are difficulties in¬ 
herent to this mode of increase, and therefore incapable of 
being removed by any kind of hive. Before describing 
the various methods which have been contrived for in 
creasing colonies by artificial means, these difficulties will 
be briefly enumerated, so that every bee-keeper may decide 
intelligently which is his best way to multiply his stocks. 
1. The numerous swarms lost every year is a strong 
argument against natural swarming. 
An eminent Apiarian has estimated, that taking into 
account all who keep bees, one-fourth of the best swarms 
are lost every season. While some bee-keepers seldom 
lose a swarm, the majority suffer serious losses by the 
flight of their bees to the woods; and it is next to impos¬ 
sible, even for the most careful, to prevent such occur¬ 
rences, if their bees are allowed to swarm. 
2. Natural swarming is objectionable, on account of the 
time and labor which it requires. 
The Apiary must be closely watched during the whole 
swarming-season; and if this business is intrusted to 
thoughtless children, or careless adults, many swarms will 
