THE COTTAGE! and farm bee keeper. 13 



CHAPTER III. 



OF STOCKING THE AFIAHY, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THE PUROHASB 

 OF STOCKS AND SWARMS. 



There are two methods of stocking an apiary — by swarms purchased 

 in the spring, and by stock hives, bought at the close or beginning of 

 the year. The former, as being the cheapest, will ever be the favorite 

 method resorted to by cottagers. To be worth the purchase, a swarm, 

 which must always be theirs* or prime swarm, should not weigh less 

 than four pounds, and it should issue from the parent hive not later 

 than the 7th or 8th of June, [in England] ; for every week after that 

 date, eighteen pence or a half crown, (according to the price current 

 of a swarm,) must be deducted from its value. After the 21st of June, 

 it is not worth five shillings, unless indeed the season should be very 

 fine, and the swarm very large. The most valuable swarms, perhaps, 

 are those which issue early in the fortnight previous to the 7th of that 

 month ; but, of course, much will depend upon the season; for, should it 

 be late and unpropitious, a swarm of this date will be more valuable than 

 one which issued on the 25th of May ; while in some forward years, a 

 most profitable swarm will be thrown a fortnight earlier than this. 



If possible, in the purchase of a swarm, the age of its queen should 

 be ascertained, and a young mother selected. The best swarms 

 undoubtedly, (caeteris paribus,) are those which proceed from two- 

 year-old stocks of large size, that sent out a swarm the previous year ; 

 because it is certain they have young and vigorous queens, and 

 the condition of the parent hive is eminently favorable still to the 

 production of a healthy brood. This advice, as every well-instruct- 

 ed apiarian will at once perceive, is based upon the knowledge 

 we possess, that every prime swarm, (the exception proves the 

 rule,) is led forth or accompanied by the old queen, who in so doing 

 vacates her throne in favor of one of the shortly-expected princess- 

 es. But a swarm from a very old stock, although it may have a young 



