ds--others, that they were robbed: but after all, no one is able to
give any satisfactory account of them. Some pieces of comb only are left,
and perhaps myriads of worms and millers finish off the whole. Then the
moth is supposed to be their destroyer, but the true history of the case
is generally this: The bees become discouraged, or disheartened, for want
of numbers to constitute their colony, abandon their tenement, and join
with their nearest neighbors, leaving their combs to the merciless
depredations of the moth. They are sometimes robbed by their adjoining
hives, and then the moths finish or destroy what is left.

Second swarms are generally about half as large as the first, and third
swarms half as large as second ones.

Now if second swarms are doubled, so as to make them equal in number with
the first, the owner avails himself of the advantage of a strong colony,
which will not be likely to become disheartened for want of numbers, nor
overcome by robbers from stronger colonies.

It is far less trouble, and less expense, for the bee-owner lo equalize
his colonies, than to prepare hives and drawers of different sizes to fit
colonies.

When colonies and hives are made as near alike as possible, many evils are
avoided, and many advantages realized: every hive will fit a place in the
apiary--every drawer a hive, and every bottom board and slide may in any
case be used without mistakes.

Swarms may be doubled at any time before they become so located as to
resume their former hostility, which will not be discovered in less than
three or four days. Bees are provided with a reservoir, or sack, to carry
their provision in; and when they swarm, they go loaded with provision
suited to their emergency, which takes off all their hostility towards
each other; and until these sacks are emptied, they are not easily vexed,
and as they are compelled to build combs before they can empty them, their
contents are retained several days. I have doubled, at a fortnight's
interval in swarming, with entire success. The operation should be
performed within two or three days--at the farthest four days. The sooner
it is done, the less hazardous is the experiment.

As a general rule, second swarms only should be doubled. Third and fourth
swarms should always have their Queen taken from them, and the bees
returned to the parent stock, according to Rule 10.

RULE VI.

ON REMOVING HONEY.

Insert a slide under the drawer, so