CALENDAR. 165 



the brood that may have been unhatched at the time of 

 turning out. This practice is of considerable importance, 

 for late swarms are thus made equal to early ones. And 

 by turning the bees out of hives as soon as piping com- 

 mences, or as soon as queens are born in them, there is 

 no fear or danger of losing second swarms from them. 

 The turnouts of large hives that have not yielded second 

 swarms are valuable, because they are large and have 

 young queens. 



As to the first harvest of honey, which generally begins 

 in June, we have to ask the reader to consult the chapter 

 on " Turnouts.'' If early honey be specially wanted, or 

 bees transferred from one kind of hive to another without 

 sacrifice, the bees of parent hives should be turned out of 

 them about three weeks after first swarming, and put 

 into empty hives. But when the turning-out system is 

 not adopted, the hives of early swarmers will require 

 supers or ekes before the honey season ends. 



In about four weeks after first swarms have been put 

 into empty hives, they should be examined to see whether 

 they require enlarging. If they are full or nearly so, and 

 the weather be favourable, they should be enlarged by 

 supers, ekes, or nadirs, as their owner may determine. 

 If not enlarged, preparations will be made for swarming ; 

 and swarms from swarms of the current year are termed 

 " virgin." The seasons are exceptionally fine when it is 

 profitable to take virgin swarms. 



July. — In writing a calendar, one is constantly beset 

 with the difficulties and differences of early and late sea- 

 sons, as well as early and late localities. In 1868, bees 

 were gathering great stores from heather on the 24th of 

 July. Some three years later the heather was just burst- 

 ing into blossom about the 20th of Augast. A firm hold of 



