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hived. When a swarm is too few in number for a 

 hive, another may be added. The method of thus 

 uniting- swarms is very easy : — Spread a cloth at 

 night upon the ground close to the hive in which the 

 two swarms are to be lodged ; lay a stick across this 

 cloth ; then fetch the hive with the new swarm, set 

 it over the stick, give a smart stroke on the top of 

 the hive, and all the bees will drop down upon the 

 cloth in a cluster ; this done, throw away the empty 

 hive, take the other from the stool, and set this 

 last over the bees, who will soon ascend into it, mix 

 with those already there, and become one and the 

 same family ; or, set with its mouth upwards, the 

 hive into which the young- swarm has l)een put, and 

 place upon it the other hive. The bees in the lower 

 one, finding themselves turned upside down, will soon 

 ascend into the upper one. A large swarm may 

 weigh 811)s. and so gradually less to 1 lb. ; a g-ood one 

 will weigh 5 or 61bs. ; all which weig-h less than 41bs. 

 should be strengthened, by uniting- to each of them 

 a smaller swarm, and, if possible, let these swarms 

 be procured on the same day. Bees usually begin 

 to swarm in May, but always earlier or later accord- 

 ing to the warmth of the season ; they seldom swarm 

 before 10 in the morning, and seldom later than 3 

 in the afternoon. You may know when they are 

 about to swarm, by clusters of them hanging on the 

 outside of the hives, and by the drones appearing 

 abroad more than usual; but the most certain sign 

 is, when the bees refrain from flying into the fields, 

 though the season be inviting. Just before they take 

 flight, there is an uncommon silence in the hive ; 

 after this, as soon as one takes wing, they all follow. 

 Before the subsequent swarmings there is a great 

 noise in the hive, which is supposed to be occasioned 

 by a contest, whether the old or the young queen 

 should go out. When the bees of a swarm fly too 

 high, they are made to descend lower by throwing 

 handfuls of sand or dust among them, wliich they 



