84 
AN EASY METHOD OF 
The importance of taking the Queens from 
all small, and late swarms, and returning them, 
to the original stock, cannot be too much in- 
sisted upon. It constitutes a very important 
feature in my system of managing bees. Even 
first swarms that are late, had better be com- 
pelled to remain in the parent hive. The 
prosperity of a hive of bees depends in a great 
degree upon their number being kept full. — 
They are. their own best , defenders. Their 
number not only protects them from the dep- 
redations of the moth and the robberies of oth- 
er swarms stronger, but the animal heat which 
is generated in the hive by a populous com- 
munity protects the combs Horn molding, 
and the bees from freezing in the coldest 
weather. But the apiarian derives another 
advantage by keeping his hives lull of bees ; 
he secures a larger quantity of honey from a 
full swarm, than from many smp.ll ones. The 
time for making .much honey does not usually 
last more than 20 or 30 days in Vermont, 
and the greatest proportion of honey that is 
deposited in the hive for winter use is col- 
lected in fifteen or twenty days. This renders 
