A good swarm weighs from four to six pounds; one pound contains about four thousand bees. The second swarm weighs rarely more than two pounds, and the third still less. You can also form artificial swarms by drawing off the bees of one hive into another, an operation which is easy with bell-shaped hives. A glance at Fig. 325, which represents the common hive of the north of France, that is to say, the _bell-shaped_, will show how easy it is to effect that drawing off, or pouring out of the bees, by joining together at their bases two hives, the one empty, the other containing a swarm. In order to have control over the bees during the operation, you must slightly stupefy them with the smoke of a smouldering rag. Beehives are of a thousand different shapes, each of which has its particular advantage. They are made of wood and of straw; and the shapes used in different countries are very various. We give as examples, Figs. 325, 326, 327, 328, 329. [Illustration: Fig. 327.--Swiss hive.] The site, that is, the place where hives stand, is not a matter of indifference. It is generally supposed that bees ought to be established in a place fully exposed to the sun, and to the greatest heat of the day. This is a mistake. M. de Frarière, in his work on bees and bee-keeping, recommends the hives to be placed under trees, in such a way that they may be kept in the shade. Fig. 330 shows the way in which M. de Frarière recommends hives to be arranged. Dr. Monin, author of an interesting monograph of the bee, published in 1866, after treating of the different arrangements which have been recommended for hives, concludes thus:--"It is to satisfy all these requirements that experienced bee-keepers so much recommend for the hives an exposure to the ten o'clock sun; that is to say, that they should be turned in such a manner that the sun may shine on their entrances when it has already attained a certain height above the horizon, and sufficiently warmed the surrounding air for the bees, which the brightness of its rays has tempted forth, not to be seized with cold and numbed before they have been able to return home again."[97] [97] "Physiologie de l'Abeille, suivie de l'art de soigner et d'exploiter les Abeilles d'après une methode simple et facile," p. 94. Paris, 1866. [Illustration: Fig. 328.--Polish hive.]