16 THE APIARY ; Oil, 



Hitherto, all our remarks have had reference to first or " prime " 

 swarms ; these are the best, and when a swarm is purchased such 

 should be bargained for. 



Second swarms, known amongst cottage bee-keepers as " casts," 

 usually issue from the hive nine or ten days after the first 

 has departed. It is not always that a second swarm issues, so much 

 depends on the strength of the stock, the weather, and other causes ; 

 but should the bees determine to throw out another, the first hatched 

 queen in the stock-hive is prevented by her subjects from destroying 

 the other royal princesses, as she would do if left to her own devices. 

 The consequence is that, like some people who cannot have their own 

 way, she is highly indignant ; and when thwarted in her purpose, 

 utters, in quick succession^ shrill, angry sounds, much resembling 

 "peep, peep," commonly called " piping," but which more courtly 

 apiarians have styled the vox regalis. 



This royal wailing continues during the evening, and is 

 sometimes so loud as to be distinctly audible many yards from the 

 hive. When this is the case, a swarm may be expected either on 

 the next day, or at latest within three days. The second swarm is 

 not quite so chary of weather as the first ; it was the old lady who 

 exercised so much caution, disliking to leave home except in the 

 best of summer weather. 



In some instances, owing to favourable breeding seasons and 

 prolific queens, a third s\iarm issues from the hive, this is termed a 

 " colt;" and in remarkable instances, even a fourth, which in rustic 

 phrase is designated a "filly." A swarm from a swarm is called a 

 " maiden " swarm, and according to bee theory, will again have the 

 old queen for its leader. 



The bee-master should endeavour to prevent his labourers from 

 swarming more than once ; his policy is rather to encourage the 

 industrious gathering of honey by keeping a good supply of " supers " 

 on the hives. Sometimes, however, he may err in putting on the 

 supers too early or unduly late, and the bees will then swarm a 

 second time, instead of making use of the store-rooms thus provided. 

 In such a case, the clever apiarian, having spread the swarm on the 

 ground, will select the queen, and cause the bees to go back to the 

 hive from whence they came. This operation requires an amount of 

 apiarian skill which, though it may easily be attained, is greater 

 than is usually possessed. 



