SWARMING. 21 



And Thomson, the poet of "The Seasons," has recorded 

 an eloquent poetic protest against the barbarous prac- 

 tice, for which, however, in his day there was no, alter- 

 native : — 



" Ah ! see where, robbed and murdered in that pit. 

 Lies the still-heaving hive ! at evening snatched, 

 Beneath the cloud of guilt-concealing night. 

 And fix'd o'er sulphur ! while, not dreaming ill. 

 The happy people, in their waxen cells, 

 Sat tending public cares. 

 Sudden, the dark, oppressive steam ascends. 

 And, used to milder scents, the tender race 

 By thousands tumble from their honied dome. 

 Into a gulf of blue sulphureous flame !" 



It will be our pleasing task, in subsequent chapters, to 

 show " a more excellent way." 



SWARMING. 



The spring is the best period at which to. commence 

 an apiary, and swarming-time is a good starting-point 

 for the new bee-keeper. The period known as the 

 swarming season is during the months of May and June. 

 With a very forward stock, and in exceedingly fine 

 weather, bees do occasionally swarm in April. The 

 earlier the swarm, the greater is its value. If bees 

 swarm in July, they seldom gather sufficient to sustain 



