18 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 
becomes more abundant. The food supply, which 
has been reduced but little during the winter 
months, now dwindles rapidly with so many young 
mouths to feed, and the population of the hive 
begins to show a marked increase. This increase 
goes steadily on, and with the first fruits of the 
new season’s honey, gathered from the willows 
and fruit bloom, breeding quickly rises towards 
its height. The hive now becomes very con- 
gested, and drone eggs will be laid. Towards 
the end of April drones will be hatching out in 
forward colonies, showing that the season is com- 
mencing in earnest. With May in, good colonies 
will be packed to the verge of suffocation, and 
queen-cells will be built in which the queen will 
lay eggs, and when these are seen it is a sign 
that* the bees are thinking of swarming. °* 
If adverse weather comes on these cells may be 
pulled down, but otherwise if they are completed 
‘a swarm may be expected at the capping of the 
first cell, providing the weather is suitable. 
This swarm will be headed by the old queen. 
On the ninth day after the first swarm leaves the 
hive a second swarm or cast will probably be 
thrown off, headed by the young queen first 
hatched, and if no restraint has been put upon 
the bees other small after-swarms may issue. 
‘These after-swarms are headed by unfertile. queens, 
which, after hiving, fly forth to meet the drone. 
And it should be thoroughly understood that a 
queen only leaves the hive for two purposes, either 
