ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
161 
position of the two hives, when enough bees which have 
become accustomed to the new place, will return t< it, to 
carry on their operations in the parent-stock. This plan 
has the advantage of retaining most of the bees in tho 
parent-stock, until the cells for rearing young queens are 
begun ; it will also suit bee-keepers who are pressed for 
time, and are obliged to force their stocks, early in the 
morning or late in the afternoon, when but few bees are 
abroad in the fields. 
If the parent-stock stands at some distance from others, 
and resembles in shape, size, and color, that intended for 
the forced swarm, a proper division of the bees may be 
effected as follows: Place the parent-stock about six inches 
to the right of the old stand, and the forced swarm as fai 
to the left; so that the position of the old entrance shall 
be about equally distant from each. If either colony con¬ 
tains too few bees, it may bo moved a little nearer to the 
old entrance; or it may be reinforced, after the bees have 
gone to work, by closing the entrance of the stronger hive 
until dark. 
If the old stocks stand close together, some prefer 
another mode of forming the artificial swarm. After the 
bees have been driven from the parent-stock, the forced 
swarm is at once placed on the old stand, while the parent- 
stock in which the proper number of bees has been left, 
is set in a cool place, and shut up — care being taken to 
give them air — until late in the afternoon of the third day. 
It may now be put on its permanent stand, and opened an 
hour or two before sunset, when the bees will take wing 
almost as if intending to swarm. Some will join the 
forced swarm on the old stand, but most, after hovering a 
short time in the air, will re-enter their hive. While the 
entrance was closed, thousands of young bees were hatch¬ 
ed, and these, knowing no other home, will all unite in the 
