192 MANAGEMENT IN SPRING. 



begun her laying, and the rapidly increasing quantity 

 of brood, that none but well provisioned hives can 

 support the expenditure. In April, however, the 

 industrious insect begins to get something out of doors; 

 besides the gooseberries and currants, the seeding 

 turnips and furze, the willows are putting forth their 

 catkins, and the buds of the plane and horse-chestnut 

 are swelling, all of which contribute to relieve the 

 winter magazines and render it quite safe for a buyer 

 to set about forming his apiary. Let him, therefore, 

 choose a fine morning, when the bees are busily en- 

 gaged in carrying in farina, and observe attentively, 

 and in their turn, all the hives from which he is to 

 select his purchase, counting the number of each that 

 enter within a minute's space. He will fix, of course, 

 on those that exhibit the greatest number. 



The cultivator will sometimes at this season dis- 

 cover, to his mortification, that one or more of his 

 hives has been totally deserted by the inhabitants. If 

 there is no want of honey in the combs, and no appear- 

 ance of mice or other vermin having obtained access 

 to it, the probable cause of this desertion is the death 

 of the queen during the winter, from age or from 

 accident. In such circumstances, the whole popu- 

 lation will gradually leave their habitation ; and while 

 many wander about in the cold, and ultimately perish, 

 others may be seen dispersing themselves among the 

 other hives in the apiary. The owner should in this 

 case shut up the hive, carry it into a dry place, and 

 reserve it for a late swarm, to which it will be a 

 valuable acquisition. It is worthy of remark how 



