Hiving Swarms. 185 



■which of course has a virgin queen, then all will go off to- 

 gether, and our loss is grievous indeed. I answer that second 

 swarms are unprofitable and should never he permitted. We 

 should be so vigilant that this fate would never befall us. If 

 we win not give this close attention without such stimulus, 

 then it were well to have this threatening dangfer hanging 

 over us. Again, suppose we are not right at hand when the 

 swarm issues, the queen wanders away and possibly is lost. 

 Yes, but if undipped the whole colony would go, now it is 

 only the queen. Usually the queen gets back. If not, a little 

 looking will find her within a ball of friendly workers. At 

 night-feU, smoke these bees, and by watching we learn the 

 hive which swarmed, as the bees about the queen will repair at 

 once to it 



( HIVING SWAEMS. 



But in clipping wings, some queens may be omitted, or from 

 taste, or other motive, some bee-keepers may not desire to ' 'de- 

 form her royal highness." Then the apiarist must possess the 

 means to save the would-be rovers. The means are, good 

 hives in readiness, some kind of a brush — a turkey-wing will 

 do — and a basket with open top, which should be at least 

 eighteen inches in diameter, and so made that it may be 

 attached to the end of a pole, and two poles, one very long 

 and the other of medium length. 



Now, let us attend to the method : As soon as the cluster 

 commences to form, place the hive in position where we wish 

 the colony to remain, leaving the entrance widely open, which 

 with our bottom-board only requires that we draw the hive 

 forward an inch or more over the alighting-board. As soon 

 as the bees are fuUy clustered, we must manage as best we can 

 to empty the whole cluster in front of the hive. As the bees 

 are full of honey we need have little fear of stings. Should 

 the bees be on a twig that could be sacrificed, this might be 

 easily cut oflTwith either a knife or saw (Fig. 83), and so care- 

 fully as hardly to disturb the bees , then cany and shake the 

 bees in front of the hive, when with joyful hum they will at 

 once proceed to enter. If the twig must not be cut, shake them 

 all into the basket, and empty before the hive. Should they 

 be on a tree trunk, or a fence, then brush them with the wing 

 into the basket, and proceed as before. If they are high up 



