462 bee-kbepee's calendak. 



■windows, the diminished number of bees will usually show 

 which colony has swarmed. 



As fast as they are filled,* and the cells capped over, the 

 surplus honey-receptacles should be removed, and empty 

 ones returned in their place. Careless bee-keepers often 

 lose much, by neglecting to do this in season, thereby con- 

 demning their colonies to a very unwilling idleness. The 

 Apiarian will bear in mind that all small swarms, which 

 come off late in this month, should be either aided, doubled, 

 or returned to the mother stock, (p. 163). With my hives 

 the issue of such swarms may be prevented, by removing in 

 season the supernumerary queen cells. During all the 

 swarming season, and indeed at all other times when young 

 queens are being bred, the bee-keeper must ascertain sea- 

 sonably, that the hives which contain them, succeed in secur- 

 ing a fertile mother, (p. 294). 



I have repeatedly observed that after-swarms build the 

 most regular worker comb, and that if they lay up a suffi- 

 cient supply of honey, they usually make the best stock 

 hives. If, by further experiments, I ascertain that this is 

 owing to their possessing a young queen, I shall judge it 

 best, in making artificial swarms, to leave the old queen with 

 the parent stock, and to supply the forced swarm with a young 

 one, as soon as they manifest a consciousness of their loss. 



July. — In some seasons and districts, this is the great 

 svcarming month, while in others, bees issuing so late, are 

 of small account. In Northern Massachusetts, I have known 

 swarms coming after the 4th of July, to fill their hives and 

 make large quantities of surplus honey besides. In this 

 month all the choicest spare honey should be removed from 



*Mr. Quinby informs me, that he succeeds in malcing bees fill, a 

 double tier of small boxes, by placing one set on the hive first ; when 

 they have partially filled these, he puts the second set under the first. 



