SWARMING AND HIVING. 61 



the first swarm, by putting jour ear close to the 

 hive you will hear, very plainly every few minutes, 

 several clear and distinct "peeping" sounds, vei-y 

 sharp at times, then hoarse and dull. This sound 

 proceeds from the young queens just hatched. When 

 it is heard, look out tor a swarm the next day, 

 though it sometimes happens that one or two days 

 will intervene before they will issue. But as long 

 as the sounds continues, be on the lookout for 

 swarms. This "peeping" can always be heard be- 

 fore a second swarm issues, if we take the trouble 

 to listen. The time between second and third 

 swarms is invariably from one to four days. It is 

 useless to look for after-swanns from a stock after 

 dwenty days from the first. They are generally' 

 all out within sixteen days from the issue of the 

 first swarm, I have given in another place, under 

 the head of "S^warming Controlled," instructions 

 how to manage swanning under my new system. 

 Some additional information I will give in this con- 

 nection. 



Just before sw^arms are expected, if there are no 

 trees near your hives or if there are large trees from 

 which it would be diffiult to take a swarm of bees 

 were they to cluster on the branches, procure several 

 evergreen trees, such as spruce or fir, three or four 

 feet high. Leave the limbs on, excepting about 

 a foot at the bottom. Sharpen the trunks, so they 

 can be set in the ground and lifted out with ease. 

 With a bar make large holes, about a foot deep, in 

 front of your hives, some distant about six feet, 

 others from twelve to thirty feet. Set a half-dozen 



