SWARMING. 223 



the empty hive forthe swarm, a sheet, and put down 

 a bottom-board a few feet from the stock. The swarm 

 is sure to come back; the first bees that alight on the 

 hive will set up the call ; as soon as this is perceived, 

 lose no time in setting the old stock on the board, and 

 throwing the sheet over it to keep out the bees. Put 

 the new one in its place on the stand, and the queen in 

 it; in a few minutes the swarm will be in the new 

 hive, when it can be removed, and the old one re- 

 placed. This I have done many times. But should 

 the swarm begin to cluster in a convenient place, when 

 you have so caught the queen, by being expeditious' 

 she may be put with the swarm, before they have 

 missed her and may be hived in the usual way. 



LIABILITY TO ENTER WEONG STOCKS. 



In all cases, whether you set a new hive in plaee : 

 of the old one or not, whenever a swarm returns, if 

 other stocks stand close on each side, they are quite 

 sure to receive a portion of the bees — probably a few 

 hundreds; these are certain to be massacred. To pre- 

 vent which, it is necessary to throw sheets over them 

 until the swarm has gathered on their own hive. This 

 is another reason for plenty of room between stocks. 

 Should no queen be discovered, during their issue, or 

 return, she should be sought for in the vicinity of the 

 hive, and put back if found, and the swarm will be 

 likely to issue se,veral days earlier, than to wait for a 

 young queen; 



"When the old queen is actually lost, and- the bees 

 have returned to wait for a young one, it is often 



