We now have our bees in clean hives with plenty of honey--not too much--and without too much drone comb. But perhaps a few queens may have died a natural death during the winter, or there may be some drone layers. In either case, the bees should be put with another swarm. This may done in various ways; the safest, perhaps, for the uninitiated, would be to drive the swarm from the hive without a queen into the other, by first blowing in a little smoke, also sprinkle in a trifle of scented syrup, and then drumming; and after they are driven the swarm had better be removed to a perfectly dark room or cellar say for a week, or remove them to a distance of at least a mile for a week. This removing should be done instanter. An additional precaution would be to place the one hive above the other preparatory to driving, with a wire cloth between them, say for forty-eight hours, that each may have the same scent. It is often the case that many swarms are small in the spring; then comes the question, what is it best to do with them? I am of the opinion that the better plan is to feed them, to stimulate the queen to breeding. Commencing the 15th of March, give the swarm from three to four tablespoonfuls of honey every day, or every other day, except the days they gather from flowers, will answer; but they must be watched closely to see if they have plenty of honey in the combs for their brood, and they consume much more than we would suspect; as, for illustration, suppose a hive to be filled with larva capped over, can any person tell me how that amount or mass of animal matter can be brought into that form without an equivalent in weight of liquid sweet (honey or sugar syrup) and pollen, for which we substitute in our stimulating process in the spring unbolted rye flour, placed where it will be protected from wind and water. They may be easily enticed to it by placing a little honey in the vessel. Another method of procedure is to double up the weak ones. Another still is to equalize them by taking a sheet of brood that is hatching from a large swarm and giving it to the small one. One of these methods is very important, as after all the apparent secret of bee management the greatest secret lies in keeping the swarms strong. The bees in small swarms are all compelled to stay at home to keep up sufficient animal heat to keep the brood warm, perhaps scarcely gathering honey enough to stimulate the queen to lay; and if she did lay up to her full capacity, there are not bees enough to keep the brood warm. Another advantage in having strong swarms is to avoid the miller or wax moth. I lay down the proposition that the moth _never materially injured a good swarm_ in a decently made hive.