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Ar[tificial] swarms. From some experiments of my own and others I think that if bees are confined 
in a dark place about 48 hours and then put in a new location 
they will most of them adhere to this new place. Should further experiments prove that this is so
then it may be made the foundation of a new and improved system of Ar[tificial] swarming. The new 
swarms formed as mentioned on the previous pages might be put into a dark cellar with a 
supply in their honey and water feeder, and kept there till about sunset on the third day, 
then let them be brought out and set as far from the old stock as may be convenient, and by 
offering them honey, (if necessary) let them be excited to fly. If as I suppose almost all of them will 
reenter their new habitation and work contentedly there, this with my improved bars will be found 
an exceedingly easy and rapid method of multiplying colonies by the experienced and fearless apiarian. 
By taking only a small amount of comb and bees from any hive at once it will 
be encouraged to new activity. We may begin say the middle of April or the first of May, according 
to latitude and season. *Let this system be united with moderate feeding at night about
enough to compensate the bees for their loss of comb and workers and the number of new colonies which may be 
obtained will be surprising. Even if a very considerable number of the bees should return to their old 
homes, enough will remain with the young hatched and hatching in the combs to make vigorous stocks. 
I should on this plan put about six combs in each hive. The method will then succeed even if the 
bees are compelled to rear a new queen from the egg, but they ought by all means to be furnished 
with a queen - nearly mature - if they could be suppled with fertile ones so much the better. This 
system looks not to obtaining in any season when it is practical the largest amount of honey but the 
largest number of vigorous swarms. The increase of colonies by natural swarming so slow and 
uncertain that if there should be a large demand for bees it could not in this way be supplied. 
I think that on this plan I could easily multiply colonies four - or five-fold in seasons and 
locations ordinarily favorable. *If when we are pursuing this plan of multiplying colonies
the bees can gather enough to replace the combs taken from them, it will be best not to feed as the
less spare honey they have the more room will there be for brood and of course the more rapid 
will be the increase of bees, but then it will be necessary to feed in the fall unless the 
natural supplies from buckwheat are very abundant. By this plan the abstraction 
of [crossed out: colonies] combs may be found not at all to interfere with the strength
numerical of the colonies from which they are taken. As soon as the natural supplies begin 
to fail strong colonies may be deprived of many of their bees not only without 
any loss but with a positive gain, as the number of consumers is then diminished when 
consumption is in excess of production. To form colonies say early in August or late in July
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