SWAEMING. 159 



for all to alight, but as soon as such place is indicated, I 

 get the board and hive ready. When a quart or so are 

 gathered, I shake them in the hive, and set it up ; the 

 swarm will now go to that, instead of the branch, espe- 

 cially if the latter is shaken a little. Where many bees 

 are kept, it is advisable to be as expeditious as possible. 

 A swarm ■wiU thus be hived much sooner than when al- 

 lowed to cluster. 



Swarms wiU sometimes alight in places where it is im- 

 possible to jar them off, such as a large limb, or trunk of 

 a tree. In which case place the hive near, as first direct- 

 ed ; take a large tin dipper — the most convenient vessel 

 for the purpose — and dip it full of bees ; with one hand 

 turn back the hive, and with the other put the bees into it.* 

 Some of them will discover that a home is provided, and 

 set up the buzzing. The remainder can be emptied in 

 front of the hive as you dip them off. I have known a few 

 instances when the first dipper full all ran out and joined 

 the others without makiog the discovery that they were in 

 a hive, but this is seldom the case. When you get the 

 queen in, there will.be no trouble with the remainder, 

 even if there are many left. 



As soon as they ascertain that the queen is not among 

 them, they will manifest it by their uneasy movements. 



ALL SHOULD BE MADE TO ENTER. 



They will soon leave and join those in the hive, or if the 

 queen is yet on the tree, even if there be but a dozen with 

 her, those in the hive will leave and cluster again. In all 

 cases they must all be made to enter ; a cluster outside 

 may contain the queen, unconscious of a home, and the 

 consequence might be, her departure for a miserable one 

 in the woods. 



* Dipping is preferable to brushing with a wing or broom, as the latter irritates 

 them exceedingly'.. 



