162 NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL INCREASE. 
good. When one is found, secure her, and put with those 
without one. Should you fail to find a queen, and be 
unable to make a division in consequence, or resolve to 
let them remain together, it is unnecessary to put them 
in any larger hive than usual; but boxes should be 
immediately put on, which should be changed for empty 
ones, as fast as they are filled. 
SWARMS RETURNING TO THE OLD HIVE. 
Occasionally a swarm will issue, and in a few minutes 
return to the old stock. The most common cause is the 
inability of the old queen to fly, on account of her burden 
of eggs, or imperfect wings. I have sometimes, after the 
swarm had returned, found the queen near the hive, and 
put her back; and the next day she would come out 
again, and fly without difficulty, probably having dis- 
charged some of her eggs. 
Sometimes a swarm will issue and return three or four 
days in succession, but this may generally be remedied, as 
i is often owing to some inability of the queen ; and she 
may frequently be found while the swarm is leaving, out- 
side the hive, unable to fly. In such circumstances, have 
a queen cage ready and secure her as soon as she appears. 
Get the empty hive for the swarm, and a large cloth, and 
put down a bottom-board a few feet from the stock. The 
swarm is sure to come back, and the first bees that alight 
on the hive will set up the call. As soon as you perceive 
this, lose no time in setting the old stock on the board at 
one side, covering it with the cloth. Put the new one in 
its place on the stand, and the queen in it; in a few min- 
utes the swarm will be in the new hive, when it can be 
removed and the old one replaced. 
AFTER-SWARMS, 
After-swarms are all that issue after the first, called 
second, third, etc., for convenience. Whenever, in a 
