NATURAL SWAKMINU. 187 



fact. I account for it in this way : many stocks that 

 are tolerably strong, with but a moderate quantity 

 of honey from the previous year, when the fruit 

 trees expand their flowers, finding a copious supply 

 of honey, are induced to commence rearing a large 

 amount of brood. A change of weather may soon 

 occur, such as to prevent the bees from getting the 

 full benefit of the honey from this source, which is 

 of very common occurrence at this season of the 

 year ; the supply on hand is soon exhausted by the 

 greatly increased demand to supply the brood. If 

 they are not relieved at this stage, they either die 

 miserably at their post, or some warm day swarm 

 out, abandoning their brood, and attempt to unite 

 with some other stock that seems to have provision* 

 still in store. Sometimes they are kindly received, 

 at others massacred without pity. 



Even the colonies that have a fair supply of honey 

 in store, become discouraged by the unfavorable con- 

 dition of the weather, and have nothing to stimulate 

 them ; large quantities are lost in cool, windy days, 

 when abroad vainly attempting to secure a portion 

 of honey whilst the fruit trees are in bloom. The 

 loss of bees in this way is about equal to the gain of 

 young ones emerging from the cells, so that we find 

 them at the beginning of the clover season in but 

 little if any better condition than they were at the 

 close of fruit tree flowers. These difficulties may be 

 easily overcome, to a very great extent at least, by 

 supplying them with feed, or providing a supply of 

 flowers to fill this interval ; consequently, swarms 



