Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/250

220] from the stings of the bees. The best way of doing this, is to cover the whole of the head, neck, &c. (over a hat) with coarse cloth, or canvass, which may be brought as low as the waistcoat, and fastened to it: through this cloth we may see the operations of the bees, without fearing their stings. The hands may be protected by means of gloves, of which the best are those made of wool.

When we mean to bring a new swarm into a hive, that prepared as above, and formed of two, three, or four boxes, according to the size of the swarm, must be brought near the place where the swarm is. The upper box, with the cover fastened on (but so that it may easily be removed), must be taken from the others. The cross bars, before described, should be smeared with honey, diluted with a little water: the small door must be shut; and the box must be turned upside down, and brought under the swarm, which is then to be introduced, in the same way, and with similar precaution as into a common hive. When the whole swarm is in the box, it is to be carried to the other boxes (previously placed in their destined situation), and, turning it very carefully, is to be put upon them. The buttons are then to be turned, the interstices closed with the cement already described, and all the little doors closed, except the lowest, through which the bees are to pass. Nothing is more disagreeable to a fresh swarm than a hot sun, for which reason, that the bees may not wish to leave their new habitation, it will be right to shade the hive for some days.

But it is more advantageous to form artificial swarms, than to collect those which abandon their native hives, and the hive here described is very convenient for that purpose. The following method, M. conceives to be more simple, and more secure than any other hitherto proposed.

Take a well-stocked hive, of four boxes, in some of these, particularly in the two lowermost, if they are well filled, there is certainly a young brood; for in these lower boxes the young bees are accustomed to change from the chrysalis to the perfect state, about the end of April, or beginning of May, if the hive be very full; but, if otherwise, this change does not take place till towards the end of May, or even the middle of June. At that time, a fine serene day, but not excessively hot, must be chosen, and about eight or nine o'clock, the hive must be divided into two, in the following manner: Between the two upper boxes and the two lower ones, force in a few slips of wood, so as to separate the boxes sufficiently for the comb to be cut through with a piece of iron or brass wire. To prevent the bees from coming out through this opening, and thereby annoying the person employed in the operation, the smoke of tobacco may be blown (by introducing the small end of a pipe) into the opening; this will cause the bees to resort to the inner part of the hive, and will keep them quiet. Or, instead of the pipe, a small pair of bellows



may be used, to the nozle of which is