188 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



July 



through the parent hive and dispose 

 of all the surplus queen-cells, as only 

 one queen is necessary for each col- 

 ony. 



At such times the opportunity is 

 good to supersede poor stock with 

 good. If the surplus queen cells are 

 not cut out, there will nearly always 

 be several after-swarms, which are 

 very annoying, as such are often 

 hard to manage, and unprofitable un- 

 less we want increase. 



By managing thus, you have only 

 doubled your stock and your bees 

 should be in prime order to get honey. 



I will give a few thoughts about 

 swarming and hiveing the bees. 



The old way used to be, when the 

 bees swarmed, the women-folks and 

 all hands were out with the bells and 

 the tin pans, and there was din and 

 clatter until the bees settled, which 

 was not nearly as soon as they would 

 if they had been alone. 



It is nice to have some small, 

 smooth trees near by, but should not 

 be allowed to get over about 12 feet 

 high — smaller are better — for the 

 bees to cluster on. 



No large trees should be near the 

 apiary, as they are apt to make trouble. 



If you have no trees, just go to the 

 woods and cut some, and put in front 

 of the apiary about two rods. Put 

 down as you would a hop-pole. 



The bees will cluster on them, and 

 you can pull and carry the swarm 

 where you choose. 



Now, I will give you my plan, 

 when you first see a swarm coming 

 out, go quietly to the hive, stand be- 

 side it, and see if the queen is able 

 to fly with the swarm — if not, you 

 will find her on the ground, if you 

 are on hand. 



If she is not able to fly, place her 

 in a cage quickly, and put her with 

 the swarm, or else remove the old 

 hive out of the way, aud place a new 

 empty one on the old stand. Place 

 the queen in it, and the swarm will 

 hive themselves, although care should 

 be taken and not let them go into 

 other hives, as they sometimes will. 



Now when the queen flies with the 

 swarm : if you wish them to alight 

 quickly, don't get in their way, nor 

 interrupt them, unless they should 

 move in a direction where there are 

 no trees. In that case sprinkle with 

 water or scatter dust among them. 



The first or prime swarm will rare- 

 ly ever try to run away if properly 

 treated. 



1 use a light box on a pole about 

 10 feet long. The box is like an old 

 fashioned box-hive, with one end 

 open, and lots of holes bored in it for 

 a swarm-catcher. When about two 

 quarts of the bees have clustered, put 

 the box up and shake them in, and 

 turn the open end out so the others 

 can fly in, and if you don't do this 

 too soon they will all go right in, or 

 on the box. 



You can just lean the box up 

 against the tree if the pole is the 

 right length, and prepare the hive, if 

 not ready. 



Right here let me say the hive 

 must be large enough so the bees will 

 have reasonable room, and the en- 

 trance large enough, and the hive 

 must be well shaded or they will not 

 stay. 



When the bees are all settled in the 

 box, you can carry them where you 

 wish. To hive them, take the top of 

 the hive off, and the qneen-excluder, 

 and put a quart or two in to start 



