1870.] ON THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 205 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 



(Continued from page 105.) 



When the first swarm issues forth, the original mother-queen goes with 

 it, and during the next day the combs commenced by the bees in the 

 new hive would be sufficiently advanced to enable her to gratify her 

 natural propensity, and she would deposit her eggs as the work 

 advances ; so that, although for the first three weeks after swarming 

 the numbers in the hive were to decrease, yet after that period the 

 young bees would be hatched, and under favourable conditions the 

 increase would be so very rapid that unless room was given a swarm 

 would probably issue ; or if a super was placed in the hive, a surplus 

 deposit of honey might reasonably be expected. This is what generally 

 happens with the so-called improved cottage-hive. It is so small that 

 a good swarm will fill it with comb and brood in a fortnight, and the 

 bees must work in the glasses above. The owner is of course delighted 

 at the prospect of getting honey from a swarm the first year, and he 

 is quite satisfied that the cottage-hive is the right sort of thing. But 

 after the first season there is seldom any further success, as the hive 

 is too small to hold sufficient bees and their provender to stand the 

 winter well ; and unless they are carefully and continuously fed, they 

 are sure to be late and weak when they should be strong and vigor- 

 ous. The first swarm should be placed in a hive large enough to con- 

 tain all that can effect in one season, which would be about the size 

 of hive required to render the evil of clustering outside the hive un- 

 necessary in the early spring. 



It might now be reasonably supposed that the old stock and the 

 young colony are each furnished with a young queen, who for a few 

 days is occupied in cultivating the acquaintance of her subjects, and 

 apparently receiving assurances of their loyalty. It is then her duty 

 to fly abroad with her personal attendants, to see the world from which 

 are drawn those nectarious supplies known as honey. 



This flight is prompted by natural instincts, for it is during this 

 flight the conditions are fulfilled which fits the queen bee to deposit 

 the eggs from which a new progeny is formed. This flight, by associa- 

 tion of ideas, is called the queen's wedding- trip ; and if she passes 

 safely through the dangers of her journey, she returns to her hive and 

 is received with great rejoicing by her subjects, who welcome her as 

 a queen in every way qualified to preside over and to promote the 

 happiness of a loyal and industrious people. 



The queen, having returned home in safety, is treated with the gravest 

 reverence by her subjects, a group of about a dozen of whom attend 

 constantly upon her, their heads all turned towards her as if paying 



