184 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
natural swarming, in not disturbing the combs of the 
mother-stock, is not only superior to it, in leaving a fertile 
queen, but obviates almost entirely all risk of after- 
swarming ; for the old queen, when given to the forced 
swarm, very seldom attempts to lead forth a new colony 
(p. 128 ); and the young one, which is given to the 
mother-stock, is equally content — except in very warm 
climates — to stay where she is put. Even if the old queen 
is allowed to remain in the mother-stock, she will seldom 
leave, if sufficient room is given for storing surplus honey ; 
and it makes no difference — as far as liability of swarming 
is concerned — where the young one is put.* 
The bee-keeper can double his stocks in one season, even 
better in this way, than by the method described on page 
162 ; and in favorable seasons and locations, this rate of 
increase will yield a large surplus of honey. 
For bee-keepers who may desire a more rapid increase 
of colonies, I shall give the methods, which—after years 
of experimenting—I have found to be the best; referring 
them to the cautions already given, lest, at the end of the 
season, they find that their fancied gains consist only of 
large investments in dearly bought experience. If they 
are cautious and skillful , in good seasons and locations, 
they may safely increase their colonies three-fold, and 
may, possibly , by liberal feeding, increase them five or six¬ 
fold, or even more. 
The plan of artificial swarming, described on page 180 , 
when combined with the giving of a fertile young queen 
better of them, so that they give their queen no chance to lay, and thus incur the 
risk of perishing, in order to become over-rich. 
* I have frequently noticed that after-swarms are much less inclined than first 
swarms to build drone-comb—their young queens seldom laying many drone-eggs 
the first season. If we can cause the new colonies to 'fill their hives almost 
entirely with worker-combs, merely by supplying them with y ung queens, bee¬ 
keeping will take another important step in advance. 
