86 
AN EASY METHOD OF 
the hive. Moving them, (unless they are car- 
ried beyond their knowledge,) is often fatal to 
them. The old bees forget their new location, 
and on their return, when collecting stores, 
they haze about where they formerly stood, 
and perish. I have known some fine stocks 
ruined by moving them six feet, and from that 
to a mile ancl a half. It is better to move them 
before swarming than afterwards. The old 
bees only will be lost. As the young ones are 
constantly hatching, their habits will be form- 
ed at the new stand, and the combs will not 
be as likely to become vacated, so as to afford 
opportunity to the moths to occupy any part 
of their ground. 
Swarms, when first hived, may be moved 
at pleasure without loss of bees, admitting 
they are all in the hive; their habits will be 
formed in exact proportion to their labors. — 
The first bee that empties his sack and goes 
forth in search of food, is the one whose hab- 
its are first established. I have obseived 
many bees to cluster near the place where 
the hive stood, but a few hours after hiving, 
and perish. Now if the swarm had been 
