The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-16
Artificial Swarming.

Ii beekeeping is undertaken as a special
industry, artificial swarming must take the
place Of natural swarming, says G. A. s.,
in Country Gentleman.
Much is said and written about following
the natural plan of bees. The natural plan
should be followed as far as possible, but it
has limits, as the natural plan of every living
thing has that is subject to man. Long ex-
perience shows that while natural swarming
under some circumstances is advantageous,
yet oftener it is not advantageous.
Every beekeeper knows that bees, if they
have their own way, will swarm when there
is no apparent reason, or, if the cause be APP
parent. it is not to the advantage of the
beekeeper. IL bees will swarm in Nav or
In tie early part of June, good results may
come. Even then there is an uncertainty
about queens, their fertilization, return to
the hive, etc.
The natural plan of bees is restricted al
ready, and we may go little further, and
Interfere with their swarming. 1t may not
be possible to prevent natural swarming in
every case, but we may come very near to
total prohibi ion." This is the plan worked
out by actual experience.
When the brood chamber is full, when the
queen has utilized all space, or nearly all,
take out one or two combs in the center of
the brood nest, and replace with sheets of
| foundation or empty combs. In some cases
foundation is better than comb because the
new wax attracts the bees, and the work in
| drawing out seems to satisfy them, gives
| them something to do, and stays the swarm
Ing fever. The two combs removed with
the cllnglng bees make nucleus OF a new
| colony. If the nucleus is to IA SO its own
queen, then care should be taken that the
| combs removed contain unmatched eggs.
On the hive from which the combs we're
taken, place another body or second story
| filed with empty brood combs, if the object
be extracted honey, or with empty section
| combs or foundation if the object be comb
honey. The empty combs in the brood
chamber give the queen laying room, and
| the enlargement of the hive together with
| the enlargement of the brood chamber,
''swarms" the colony-at least arrests
natural swarming for the present.
As further precaution the drone trap
| may be adjusted to the entrance, and there
remain during the season. When the brood
chamber is full again repeat the operation,
and add to the nucleus already started or
| begin new one. In this way may be taken
in season from the colony, ten frames of
brood and clinging bees, equal to a colony
| or the natural increase. And this has been
done without disturbing or weake ing the
| colony. 1t may be said that if the colony
swarmed naturally in the right season
there would be two productive colonies in
stead of one. But the one colony will pro,
duce under this system as much as and
probably more than two colonies. If the
apIary contains at least ten colonies, ther
| there would be ten frames obtained from
the first swarming The bees on these
united at once and given a queen, make 6
strong colony. At the next swarming an
other colony is obtained, and this colony
the second, may be early enough to gather
surplus money. This can be done, and has
been done, but product from the colonies
thus made is not taken into account. TIT
most that is expected of the nucleus colonie
is that they build themselves up for service
the next year.