50 SWARMING AND HIVING. 
nicely with a clean sheet, and leaves them alone to 
enter the hive. At about sunset he will place the hive 
with the bees in it on the stand itis to occupy. 
At the time designated (about sunset) he goes out to 
his hive on the table. It has been a very hot afternoon, 
and the hive was where it received the full force of the 
sun’s rays. He carefully raises the sheet. There is the 
limb on which the bees clustered—but where are the 
bees ? they are not on the limb! Why, in the hive, of 
course. That is where he expected to findthem. He 
peeps carefully under the hive to see how they are get- 
ting along, but astonishment is depicted on his counten- 
ance when he discovers that his hive is empty. His 
bees have left for other parts beyond his knowledge. 
He tries to think of some reason why the bees have gone, 
and seeks to lay the blame upon the hive. “Oh !” he 
says, “I guess they did not like the hive, but I guess I 
shall have better luck next time.” 
To a progressive bee-keeper, one who has correct and 
practical knowledge of the natural habits of bees, it is 
very plain why they left. They were actually driven 
away by mismanagement. The heat of the sun pouring 
down upon them was enough of itself to drive them off. 
Then placing the limb, with the cluster adhering to it, on 
the table near the hive, showed lack of knowledge of the 
natural habiis of bees. The hive might as well have 
been in the house, as placed where it was. Then an 
hour or more taken to get the hive ready, gave the bees 
time to send out their scouts, to look up a location of 
