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saluted mortal ears. On nearing the place we found it pro- 

 ceeded from tin pans, tin pails, brass kettles, warming pan, 

 and in the hands of apparently a whole family, because the 

 *' bees were swarming." By this time the bees had settled on 

 a tree some four feet from the ground. Two men, with stakes 

 and pitch-forks, propped up the limb on which the bees had 

 settled (the noise all the time continuing ;) then mounted on 

 barrels, with a crosscut saw they proceeded to saw off the 

 limb, laying it, with what bees had not been jarred off, on the 

 ground, placing the hive over the bees and leaving them to go 

 up, which sometimes they will not do. Our experience is, the 

 less noise made when bees are swarming, the better. The 

 custom of making a noise when bees are swarming, originated 

 in this way : In the Eastern countries, where almost every 

 cottager kept bees, it was the custom, when a swarm was up, 

 for the owner to make a noise (tanging,) to give notice to his 

 neighbors that it was his swarm ; and if it settled on their 

 land he could claim them, if he could prove he " tanged " 

 them. 



Our method of hiving a swarm is this : When we perceive 

 a swarm rising, we sit down and wait till they settle, which 

 ours have invariably done near the hive. We then, with as 

 little noise as possible, place a hive near them, within three 

 feet ; we then fasten a sheet, or any cotton cloth, one edge to 

 the alighting board or entrance of the hive, and fasten the 

 opposite edge of the cloth, so as to come in contact with the 

 under side of the cluster, — if it can be gathered up around 

 the side of the cluster opposite to the hive so much the bet- 

 ter, — we then take a few bees from the cluster and strew 

 them gently along to the hive. The news is immediately 

 telegraphed along the line that they have found a home, and 

 the whole cluster are quickly in motion, striving to outrun 

 each other in the race for a home. The hive should be about 

 on a level with the bees, and the nearer the better, unless you 

 wish to see the queen, in which case you must place it so far 

 that you will have time to see every bee. Of course, if the 



