HIVES. 49 



of May is a good time for early swarms ; and at the end 

 of the season a good stock may weigh only one stone. 

 This may surprise you, but some are not half that 

 weight.'' 



From Yorkshire, a gentleman at Hull answered the 

 questions as follows : " The size of hives used here- 

 abouts contain 1300 cubic inches, and swarm about the 

 first week in June. As to the general weight, that de- 

 pends on the management of them. The most I have 

 ever taken from a swarm was 32 lb." 



From Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire, we learn that 

 " the first week in June is the time of generahswarming ; 

 the size of the hives about 12 inches deep 'and 12 wide; 

 and the weight of swarms at the end of the season depends 

 on the summer. If not much rain to stop their work, a 

 good swarm ought to weigh 30 lb." 



Our informant in Cornwall, near Launceston, says ; 

 " In favourable and pleasant spots, bees begin to rise 

 fcom the 16th to the 20th of May ; but the time of gene- 

 ral swarming is the first and second week of June. The 

 size of hives in use is, I think, about 14 inches diameter 

 and 1 1 inches deep. The average weight in good seasons 

 is about 28 lb., hive and combs together ; the heaviest 

 I have ever known was 35 lb. Taking one year with 

 another, the average produce of a hive is about one gallon 

 of honey. In the parts of Devonshire which I have 

 visited, bees appeared to be treated much as we treat 

 ours, the hives being a little less, if anything." 



In Lincolnshire, swarming generally takes place from 

 the 10th to the 20th of June ; hives 12 inches diameter 

 and 8 or 9 inches deep ; and the weight of good swarms 

 ranges from 30 lb. to 45 lb. 



" "We think," says our Devonshire correspondent, " 25 

 lb. to 30 lb. a good weight for swarms in common hives ; 

 I have known some 50 lb., but this is rare. I do not 



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