230 NATURAL SWARMING. 
many bee-keepers are possessors of as many colonies as 
they desire to keep. Most Apiarists, especially farmers, 
keep bees only for the honey, and as itis impossible to 
produce both an increase of stock, and a large yield of 
honey in average seasons, they prefer the production of 
honey to that of swarms. 
2nd, Another objection to natural swarming arises from 
the disheartening fact, that bees are liable’ to swarm so 
often, as to destroy the value of both the parent-stock, 
and its after-swarms. Experienced bee-keepers obviate 
this difficulty, by making one good colony out of two second 
swarms, and returning to the parent-stock all swarms after 
the second, and even this if the season is far advanced. 
Such operations often consume more time than they are 
worth. 
8d, The bees may be located ina town, near a pub- 
lic thoroughfare where people pass constantly, and acci- 
dents may take place; or perhaps near the woods where 
the swarm would cluster on such high limbs that it would 
be difficult or impossible to hive them. 
4th. It is very troublesome to have to watch the bees for 
weeks, or to have them swarm at unexpected or unwelcome 
times, when the family is away, or at dinner, or while the 
owner is engaged with his business, for many bee-keepers 
are also lawyers, doctors or merchants, occupied in daily 
labors, which require a definite part of theirtime. The far- 
mer may be interrupted in the business of hay-making, by 
the cry that his bees are swarming; and by the time he has 
hived them, perhaps a shower comes up, and his hay is in- 
jured more than the swarm is worth. ‘Lhus the keeping of 
a few bees, instead of being a source of profit, may prove 
an expensive luxury; while in a large Apiary, the embar- 
rassments are often seriously increased. If, after a succes- 
sion of days unfavorable for swarming, the weather becomes 
pleasant, it often happens that several swarms rise at once, 
