MANAGEMENT FIRST AND SECOND SWARMS. 279 



possible expedition, lest they take a second flight. 

 This duty can better be performed by experienced 

 workmen or women, than here described. The 

 hive should always, if possible, be put under the 

 swarm, and the bees shaken or brushed into it with 

 a goose wing or bow. The hive is then to be co- 

 vered with a sheet or table-cloth. On this and all 

 similar cases of danger from the sting of the insects, 

 the too common practice of acting without cover for 

 the exposed parts of the body, is most rash and in- 

 discreet. The injury received may be considerable, 

 and besides, a person without defence cannot act 

 with the necessary coolness and effect. The neck, 

 hands, and legs should be covered, the face de- 

 fended by a mask of thin iron wire, and a linen hood 

 or cloth thrown over the cap upon the head, the 

 hood to fall and be fastened below the shoulders. 



The SWARM may divide itself into several clusters, 

 in which case there are several queens ; on being 

 hived together, the bees will kill the supernumerary 

 queens. But when an undivided swarm is hived and 

 the bees are restless and discontented, it may be 

 judged that they have no queen, in course, that they 

 will not remain. A queen must be immediately 

 provided for them from the parent stock. Queens 

 are discovered by their being surrounded by small 

 groups of bees. FIRST swarms from different hives 

 uniting, must be separated. The management of 

 second swarms forms a very interesting branch of 

 the apiarian science, as its success depends so 

 much on the skill and experience of the proprietor. 

 In saying that first swarms only are worth preserv- 



