e commencement of this chapter, bees will
plunder and fight at any time through the summer, when honey cannot be
collected; but _spring_ is the only time that such desperate and
persevering efforts are made to obtain it. It is the only time the
apiarian can be excused for having his hives plundered, or letting them
stand in a situation for it. We then often have families reduced in
winter and spring, from various causes, and when protected through this
season, generally make good stocks. It is then we wish them to form
steady, industrious habits, and not live by plunder. Prevention is
better than cure; evil propensities should be checked in the beginning.
The bee, like man, when this disposition has been indulged for a time,
it is hard breaking the habit; a severe chastisement is the only cure;
they too go on the principle of much wanting more.

NO NECESSITY TO HAVE THE BEES PLUNDERED IN THE FALL.

The apiarian having his bees plundered in the fall, is not fit to have
charge of them; their efforts are seldom as strong as in spring,
(unless there is a general scarcity,) the weak hives are usually better
supplied with bees, and consequently a less number is exposed; but yet,
when there are some very weak families, these should be taken away as
soon as the flowers fail, or strengthened with bees from another hive.
Particulars in fall management.

I have sometimes made my swarms equal, early in spring, by the
following method, and I have also failed. Bees, when wintered together
in a room, will seldom quarrel when first set out. When one stock has
an over supply of bees, and another a very few, the next day or two
after being out, I change the weak one to the stand of the strong one,
(as mentioned a page or two back,) and all bees that have marked the
location return to that place. The failure is, when too many leave the
strong stock, making that the weak one, when nothing is gained. If it
could be done when they had been out of the house just long enough for
the proper number to have marked the location, success would be quite
certain. But before an exchange of this kind is made, it would be well,
if possible; to ascertain what is the cause of a stock being weak; if
it is from the loss of a queen, (which is sometimes the case,) we only
make the matter worse by the operation. To ascertain whether the queen
be present, do not depend on the bees carrying in pollen; as most
writers assert they will not, when the queen is g