120 SWARMING. 



harvest season of the honeyed race. After the 

 scythe has cut down the flowers which adorn our 

 meadows and yield the bees such a plentiful sup- 

 ply of honey and farina, there is a very manifest 

 relaxation in their activity ; their excursions are 

 not only much less extensive, but less frequent, 

 although the weather be in all respects propitious. 

 Swarms that issue much earlier than the time I 

 have specified, are apt to be small ; and should 

 bad weather succeed, feeding will be necessary, to 

 prevent famine. Those that issue later, afford no 

 better promise, either to themselves or to the 

 parent hives ; for though late swarms are usually 

 large ones, they will scarcely have time to rear 

 their brood, and to lay in a store of honey, &c. 

 adequate to the support of the family during the 

 ensuing winter and spring. Late swarming is not 

 only hazardous to the bees thrown off, but is in- 

 jurious to the parent stock, which suffers in pro- 

 portion to the loss of labourers, that should con- 

 tribute to the general store of food, and assist in 

 rearing the brood, which is generally abundant, 

 though the season be far advanced. 



Hence it is the usual practice, early in the au- 

 tumn, to suffocate both the swarm and the stock, 

 in order to secure whatever wax and honey may 

 have been collected up to that time. There is 

 however another alternative, as will be seen under 

 the head of Uniting Swarms or Stocks. 



