24 
MANUAL OF THE 
robbers, close your Hive by means of the tongue in 
the Hire Tube, so that one Bee only can enter at a time, 
and then your Bees can guard the entrance. If the 
contention has just commenced, this will be sufficient- 
If it is of long standing, close up the entire entrance, 
observing well to give them sufficient air. Let your 
Hive remain closed till sunset, then open it, to admit 
your own Bees, and give any robbers which maybe 
within an opportunity of escaping. Close the Hive 
again before sunrise ; and if any Bees appear, give 
them a shower of cold water from a water pot or 
broom. They will be so offended with your treat- 
ment, as to leave very soon. Then give your Bees free 
ingress and egress, and they will again resort to their 
labor. 
Bees are not likely to make war, and rob each other, 
except in the Spring and Fall. Sometimes extreme 
hot weather causes honey to drip, and then most of the 
Bees engage in the work, and carry it off, and leave an 
empty Ilive for the owner. 
In case you have a young swarm robbed, and the 
comb is clean from the moth, and light colored, close 
your Ilive and set it away until swarming. Hive a 
small colony in it, and they will soon cleanse the comb, 
and commence storing up honey. Here you will find 
a great saving, and the Bees are always fond of such a 
habitation. If the comb is old and dark colored, never 
put Bees into it. 
I would recommend all Apiarians to adopt this rule: 
II you find a swarm of young Bees robbed, and honey 
remaining in the comb, secure it well from ants and 
spiders, and set in a dry room until November — then 
look for a weak swarm that is destitute of honey, and 
transfer them into this Hive, and you have a good col- 
ony. This I huve practised for a few years with good 
success. In March, 1840, I examined my Bees, and 
found them destitute of honey: I transferred them in- 
to such a Ilive of comb and honey — preserved them — 
and they swarmed twico during the season. Here you 
discover good resulting from experiment. I proceeded 
the same way with a swarm in January, 1848, and my 
