bee-keepek's manual. 71 



wanted at home to complete the labors of their own do- 

 micile. The bees fully understand their business in all 

 its various branches. ^No hive ever yet threw off a 

 swarm that was not full of bees.A 



I say, that my bees generally swarm during the first 

 week in June ; yet I have had numerous swarms issue 

 in May; and on one occasion, a swarm in the early 

 part of April, which I considered a very remarkable 

 circumstance. 



My general remarks on the subject of swarming, with 

 its attendant circumstances, must be reserved for an 

 especial chapter. 



THE OPERATION OF LAYING DESCRIBED. 



After impregnation, the queen begins to lay in about 

 forty-eight hours. Huber says forty-six, but I have 

 found it to be full forty-eight in most cases, in which 

 I have tested the question. There is no use in being so 

 very particular as to the hour and minute. No man 

 will care a fig whether it be two hours sooner or later. 

 A description of the operation of laying is correctly 

 given by Mr. Duncan, an English apiarian. 



Mr.D. says ; — " In the operation of laying, which we 

 have a thousand times witnessed, the queen puts her 

 head into a cell, and remains in that position a second 

 or two, as if to ascertain whether it is in a fit state to 

 receive the deposit. She then withdraws her head, 

 curves her body downwards, inserts her abdomen into 

 the cell, and turns half round on herself; having kept 

 this position for a few seconds, she withdraws her body, 



