234 NATURAL SWAKMING. 



the old school report having noticed that hives which raise 

 the most drones east the greatest number of swarms. 



468. 4th. An improperly ventilated hive (336), or 

 surplus arrangement, strongly induces natural swarming. 

 "We have seen ignorant bee-keepers, owners of box-hives 

 wonder why their bees swarmed and did not work in the 

 surplus honey receptacle. The average box-hive (274) is 

 made about twelve inches square inside, often with only a 

 shallow entrance a couple of inches long, at the bottom, and 

 the surplus arrangement is reached by the bees, through an 

 auger hole an inch or two in diameter. In order to venti- 

 late the honey receptacle, the bees have to form a line (61) 

 from the outside of the hive through the thickly covered 

 combs to this hole, and force in air enough to enable them 

 to breathe and live there. How can we wonder that they 

 refuse to work in such a place, especially when the hive is 

 exposed to the heat of the sun in a .June afternoon ? 



Under such circumstances, hordes of useless consumers 

 often blacken, for months, the outside of the hives, to the 

 great loss of their disappointed owners. 



469. 1st. It results from the above that the principal con- 

 dition for the prevention of natural swarming is, a sufficient 

 amount of empty comb, and this empty comb must be given 

 in an easily accessible place near and above, or in front of 

 the brood. 



The giving of comb foundation (674) instead of empty 

 combs, will be sufficient if the crop is not flowing too 

 fast. But in a very good season, if the harvesting workers 

 bring the honey faster than the young bees can stretch the 

 foundation into comb, it will not be sufficient. 



460. If the breeding story is full of comb, and the sur- 

 plus arrangement is placed above with a wooden division 

 or honey board (362) between, the bees will often con- 

 sider the latter as too remote from their breeding room, 

 especially if the holes which connect the two are few, and 



