ft a 



CHAPTEE XV. 



SWARMING. 



" THE cause or causes which determine the issue 

 of a swarm seem to be enveloped in obscurity ; prob- 

 ably there are none which can be said to determine 

 the point absolutely. The crowded state of the hives 

 in hot weather has been generally considered as suffi- 

 cient to account for the issue of swarms ; but on the 

 one hand bees, as is well known, will cluster out some- 

 times for weeks during the height of summer without 

 swarming at all ; and on the other hand, affording 

 room in whatever direction will not certainly prevent 

 an issue, neither will it always encourage comb-build- 

 ing. This latter will depend upon the productive- 

 ness of the gathering season ; for, if the hive contain 

 a sufficiency of cells for the reception of eggs, and 

 the prospect of the honey harvest is not such as will 

 require additional store-houses, no fresh combs will 

 in all probability be constructed. Looking at these 

 two well-known facts, viz: the uncertain result of 

 clustering, as well as of affording room, I was led 



