SPRING MANAGEMENT. 291 
supposed to be a vigorous one, and a compulsory 
returning of the bees to the parent hive (the result 
of destroying her) would oceasion a loss of valuable 
time; a young queen not yet being in a state to 
commence laying eggs. On the other hand, a poor 
swarm might denote an unfruitful queen, to be got 
rid of in the way we have just pointed out. The 
bees would reissue under a young sovereign, after 
the usual interval, with a large accession of num- 
bers, the produce of the brood matured in the mean 
time; and this might have the further good effect 
of preventing an after-swarm, which it is always 
desirable to do. 
It has already been said that on the occasion 
of a first swarm the old queen invariably issues 
with it. It is also a fact that she leaves no actual 
successor, but that an interregnum usually occurs of 
six or eight days—the royal larva being left short 
of maturity by this period, unless bad weather has 
interposed to delay the issuing of the swarm, in 
which event this interval may be much shortened; 
it is also subject to extension under certain con- 
tingencies of weather. The first princess that is 
subsequently liberated from her cell becomes the 
future mistress of the hive, unless she leaves it 
with an after-issue; for the law of primogeniture 
has been observed to be strictly followed. It is there- 
fore evident that no regal disagreement can occur 
except in the cases of after-swarms, when a queen 
returning to the stock-hive might chance to find a 
rival, and would have to contest her way to the 
supremacy. 
vu 2 
