66 BES-FARMING. 



is the first sign of a prime or first swarm. We have 

 known them under these circumstances, if it should for- 

 tunately happen that the bees observe a small opening in 

 the floor-board sufficiently large for them to creep through, 

 at once commence making combs beneath the stand, for 

 bees do not Lke being idle — they make hay when the sun 

 shines. 



Many intelligent apiarians recommend the Nadiring 

 system, especially for inexperienced bee-keepers. One 

 author advises his readers to purchase a large quantity of 

 American cheese-boxes, and, after making a slight opening 

 in the lid, to place them beneath the hive ; he intimates to 

 all respectable labourers that by so doing they will make at 

 the very least lOo/. per annum. We knew one poor fellow 

 so led away by this reasoning as to give up a good situation 

 to attend to his bees, quieting his better half by assuring 

 her he should make a good living by it ; but the result in 

 the autumn rather rudely shook his faith when he found 

 himself a heavy loser. But this nadiring most certainly, 

 if adopted in time and the bees take to the boxes, will stop 

 swarming, but it is no advantage. Let us always set it 

 down as a rule, that the nearer we manage our stocks so 

 as to resemble the operations of Nature the more profitable 

 it will be in the end ; and Nature says bees never do so- 

 well as when we allow them to swarm. 



AMERICAN SWARM SIGNAL, 



The Americans have introduced a novelty called the 

 " Swarm Signal," but it may be questionable whether this, 

 novelty will ever come into general use in our English 

 apiaries, because in hundreds of cases it is not wanted, for 

 the bee-stand is often either beneath the window or close 

 by the door, when owned by cottagers, so that a swarm 

 seldom makes its app=,-.rance without being speedily noticed 



