OF MANAGING BEES. 27 



times been stopjj)ed and compelled to alight, when they were 

 on the wing for the woods, by blowing hoi-ns, shooting guns, 

 throwing dirt, water, &o., amongst them, so as to break up 

 their regular organization, which rendered them unable to 

 proceed on their journey until they could reorganize. In 

 swarming, it is believed a regular organization is not often 

 entu-ely perfected until after the swarm has left the parent 

 hive, and clustered in a body, in their usual way ; for, in 

 swarming, the greatest tumult and confusion ensue through 

 their whole ranks, and they manifest a strong desire to alight 

 so far from the parent hive as not to be interrupted by their 

 hum, so as to annoy them in their perfect organization, and 

 arrangements for a new home. Old bees and young ones, 

 middle-aged and all that are capable of taking to the wing, 

 usually sally forth, and leave with the new swarm ; except 

 a portion of such bees as are employed in nursing the young 

 larvas, brooding over the chrysalis, and all that are in the 

 fields at work. Here is perfect wisdom and order, as it 

 would seem, founded in disorder and confusion. The great 

 "Author of all things" has " most wisely" fixed their nature 

 and habits in such a manner as to prevent their overthrow ; 

 inasmuch as a great number of their companions are in the 

 fields collecting honey at the time when swarming takes 

 place, which would otherwise, in consequence of the confu- 

 sion engendered in the hive at that time, join in with the 

 swarm which has departed, and leave the parent stock des- 

 titute of a sufficient number of bees to protect their comb 

 from the depredations of the moths, or nurse and bring for- 

 ward their young queens, and other larvae and chrysalides, 

 to replenish their reduced colony. 



A clean hive is all that is needed for a swarm of bees, 

 with careful and humane treatment. 



A cluster of bees should never be shaken, or jarred, any 



