152 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



MANAGEMENT OF SWAKJllNi; (_'OLO^■|ES. 



Prom my first using movable frames, 1 tliink 1 have kept 

 my queens' wings clipped, so my experience in having natural 

 swainis with flying queens has been very limited. But my 

 ex])crienc<? in liaving s\\'arras issue where and when 1 did not 

 want them, has been very large. Only extreme modesty and 

 humility prevents my being very proud of so large an experi- 

 ence. If I should ever reach that point where I shall be equally 

 successful in preventing swarms, 1 make no promise to be either 

 modest or humble. 



So long as succes-s in prevention of swarms has not been 

 reached, it remains an important matter to know the best thing 

 to do when swarms do issue. Under ordinary circumstances 

 some one must be on hand to watch for swarms. For several 

 years I have had no watching for swarms, and have had no 

 swarms except those which swarmed in spite of my efforts lo 

 prevent them. Yet if I had only the one apiary, it is just 

 possible that I might allow swarming, at least so far as to allow 

 the bees to swarm and then return to their old hives. At any 

 rate there are a great many so situated as to allow their bees to 

 go thus far in swarming, and I feel pretly sure that for them 

 there may be some interesl in knowing what 1 did when swarms 

 did issue, so I will si\'e an account of my management when 1 

 formerly allowed the bees to swarm. 



AVATCT-IJNG FOR SWA1!:\[S. 



"\\'ith as many as 100 colonies in an apiary, the one who is 

 on watcli can hardly be allowed to do any thing else. The 

 regular noise is so great among so many that the added noise of a 

 swarm is hardly noticed; so sight, not hearing, must bo depended 

 on. T have gone on with my regular work and taken a look once 

 in h\ e or ten minutes along the rows to see if any swarms were 

 out, but il is not a very satisfactory way of doing. A bright 

 lioy or girl can walch vei'V well, if faithful. It is not necessary, 

 of course, lo walch all day; and the weather has much to do 

 with the hours al which swarms may be expecled. On a hoi 

 morning a swarm may issue as early as 6 o'clock; but this is 

 exceptional, and if the weather has been cloudy through the ih;y, 



