All the bars and frames in an apiary ought to be of precisely the same dimensions, so as to fit every hive. This is essential for the strengthening of weak hives. A hive that is weakly may often be advantageously strengthened by having put into it a comb of brood from a populous stock, to which an empty frame from the weak one may be given; no bees must be on the brood-comb--these should be shaken off or gently dislodged with a feather into the hive from which the comb is taken. The frames of the hive from which the comb has been taken, should be, one by one, placed so as to fill in the vacancy, leaving the empty frame nearest the side. When a hive has been in use many years, the combs become very black, and every bee that is bred in a cell leaves a film behind. It may be understood how in this way the cells become contracted, so that the bees that are bred in them are correspondingly reduced in size. After the lapse of say five years, it may be necessary to begin to remove the old combs. This may be done by cutting away the comb or by substituting an empty frame for one with old black comb, gradually moving the frames towards each other. By taking two away in this manner in the spring or summer of every season, the combs in course of five years may all be reconstructed and fresh clean ones be secured for breeding in, instead of the old black ones that otherwise would remain as long as the stock could live in the hive. Artificial Swarming.--Every bee-keeper knows the anxiety there is in watching and expecting a swarm to come forth, fearful lest his favorites should, "like riches, take wing and fly away," a mischance that it is desirable to prevent. In our description of natural swarming this will be found fully treated of; we propose here merely to point out how, with the moveable frames, this work of nature may be assisted--we say assisted, because artificial swarming should, as nearly as possible, resemble natural swarming, that is, it should be performed at the same time of the year, and when the populous state of the hive makes a division desirable. This is easily known to be the case when bees hang out in clusters at the entrance, wasting their time in enforced idleness instead of being abroad gathering honey. It is also necessary that the hive contain drones. An empty hive should be placed on the stand when the living hive is removed, for the purpose of amusing returning bees. If the hive is kept in a bee-house, the entrance should be shut down unto the hive is restored, when the clustered bees may be at once admitted.