Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-15
8rs 4eeping.
sWARMING.


In writing Of bees it seems still TO be
considered necessary TO give directions for
swarming. Even those who do not allow
. bees to swarm in the natural way devote
pages Of their Writing on this subject 70
methods Of gathering the departing legious,
preparation of hives, aud putting the bees
into them. To US this seems as inconsistent as
it would be to direct farmer how to use
old.fashioned plows, sickles, and hoes for the
care of his crops, instead Of informing him
that such implements are out of date, aud
the saving Of time in the use of modern
tools will more than compensate for the cost
Of them. We have, for more than ten years,
dispensed entirely with natural swarmlng-
increasing our bees by division of colonies,
as we deemed best, at the proper season.
The results have been such as to convince
US that in no other way can bees be kept
with such uniform success. Natural swarm
ing is at least very uncertain; no rules can
be given by which we can judge when it will
take place. The owner may watch the hives
for days, expecting swarms, aud none APP
pear while during All hours absence from
home, out come the bees and perhaps de-
camp. Some seasons they refuse to swarm
at all, and others they swarm so much as to
njure themselves, and prevent oil hopes of
surplus honey. The time in which swarms
come is of the utmost Importance to the
prosperity of the old and new colonies. The
| old doggere,-
swarm Of bees in June is worth silver spoon
| swarm Of bees in July's not worth single hy,"
has tar more truth than poetry.
| We find that by artificial swarming we
obtain earlier swarms, prevent all loss of bees
by abscondiDg, and are able to keep all our
colonies strong so as to secure some surplus
honey however poor the season, aud this
method is for us great saving Of labor.
The incessant Watching necessary during two
months, where a large apiary is allowed to
swarm at will, would be impossible for US.
By our plan, all divisions are made about
the same time, and it is easy to give all the
necessary care. We would, at any time,
rather make an artificial swarm than hive a
natural one.
1t is sometimes urged that " bees proba-
bly, know best when the right time for them
TO swarm has come !" their instincts are the
safest guide" This, though plausible, is
not true. We have known bees to make all
preparations for swarming, build queen-ceIs,
rear drones etc., and then when q sudden
change in the westher occurred, destroy all
involving the necessity of two weeks
more preparation aud much loss Of time at
the best season of the year.
Now, we know that in the natural order
Of things, it will he pleasant and warm
again in few days, and eau govern our.
selves accordingly. We have known a cold
rain in June TO cause bees 10 destroy all the
drones IN an apiary, to the dismay OF its
owner, the bees evidently thinking summer
was over. We do not allow other animals
the right TO decide for themselves in mat
ters OF Importance, but set our hens, wean
our calves, aud break our colts at our pleas
ure-not theirs.
When bees are in movable comb hives
they can be divided in various ways. Every
bee-keeper Of experience has methods oi hi'
own. We are not writing tor those who dc
not need our aid, but for beginners in thi'
pleasant work
If you have but one or two colonies II
these hives, you may proceed thus, choosing
the middle Of 6ne day as the best, though
not the only time to do it, Have ready an
other hive of the same size aud form Of your
own, side by side with the old one Oper
the former, first blowing smoke freely in a
the entrance, take out a comb aud look iol
the queen, who will usually be found on On'
Of the middle frames. Put the comb con
tanning her into the new hive aud also an
other comb we'll filed with brood and honey
Set this new hive iOhere the old one stood
and move that one several yards away. Thl
is all the new hive has the queen, aud thI
majority of the bees will return to the oil
spot aud finding "lnothsr" there, will 60 Il
work with will to replenish it, while th'