SWABMING. 189 



when to expect swarms, and when to cease Ipoking 

 for them. 



INVERTING A STOCK RATHER FORMIDABLE AT FIRST. 



To a person that has never inverted a hive full of 

 bees, even to overflowing, or never has seen it done, 

 it appears like a great, undertaking, as well as the 

 probability of ruining the stock 1 But after the first 

 trial, the magnitude of the performance is greatly di- 

 minished, and will grow less with every repetition of 

 the feat, until there is not the least dread attending it. 

 Without tobacco smoke I hardly think it practicable, 

 but with it, there is not the least difficulty. It would 

 be very unsatisfactory to turn over a hive and nothing 

 to drive the bees away from the very places on the 

 combs that you wish particularly to inspect. The 

 smoke is just the thing to do it! As for the bad 

 effects of such overturning and smoking; I never dis- 

 covered any. 



REQUISITES BEFORE PREPARATION OF QUEEn's CELLS. 



I have found the process for all regular swarms 

 something like this : before thfey commence, two or 

 three things are requisite. The combs must be crowded 

 with bees; they must contain a numerous brood ad- 

 vancing from the egg to maturity ; the bees must be 

 obtaining honey either by being fed or from flowers. 

 Being crowded with bees in a scarce time of honey is 

 insufficient to bring out the swarm, neither is an 

 abundance sufficient, without the bees and the brood. 

 The period that all these requisites happen together, 



