SWARMING. 191 



a prediotion for a swarm 48 hours, when I nave judged 

 from these signs, in a prosperous season. When 

 there is a partial failure of honey, the swarm some- 

 times will wait several days after finishing them. 



CLUSTERING OUTSIDE NOT ALWAYS TO BE DEPENDED UPON. 



The clustering out of the bees I find but a poor 

 criterion to judge from, further than full hives do 

 swarm — many such do not. 



EXAMINATIONS THE RESULT. 



I will detail a few circumstances, that have led to 

 these conclusions. Some years ago the honey began 

 to fail, when only about one third of my good stocks 

 had cast swarms ; and all at once, the issues began to 

 " be few and far between." I had previously exam- 

 ined, and found they had gone into preparations pretty 

 extensively; by having not only constructed cells, 

 but occupied them with royal eggs and larvae. Now 

 I examined again, and found five out of six had 

 destroyed them, (at the same time the bees clustered 

 out extensively). This put an end to all hopes of 

 swarms here. Some few had finished their cells, and 

 fliese, I had some hopes, would send out the swarms ; 

 but the dry weather caused some misgivings. After 

 waiting three or four days and none coming, I found 

 these sealed cells destroyed also, and had no more 

 swarms that season. Subsequent observations have ful- 

 ly confirmed these things. One season some of the hives 

 commenced preparations at two different periods, and 

 then abandoned them without swarming at all, through 



