bee-keeper's manual. 277 



be prepared to hive his bees without delay, when he can 

 do so ; because they cannot be hived too soon, and you 

 may be too late. Always have a common table handy, 

 and a blanket or an old table cover, where you can lay 

 your hand on it, at a moment's notice. A brush as ap- 

 pears in the apiarian's hand, in the cut, should also be 

 at hand. Your hives should be in order, and perfectly 

 clean, and always a few more of them than you may 

 actually require, perhaps, should be constructed. Hives 

 thai have been previously used, are as good as any, if 

 perfectly clean. Boiling hot water should be freely used 

 in cleaning old hives, and the joints well drenched to 

 kill the ova of insects. 



Bees, when swarming, are quite docile, seldom using 

 their stings, unless in windy weather, when fretted a 

 great deal by the branches or leaves of the trees flapping 

 against them. The person on the right hand of the cut, 

 who is defending himself from their attacks, foolishly 

 commenced parrying and striking at a stray bee, that 

 came around his ears in rather a menacing attitude, and 

 by so doing, he brought a dozen around his head, breath- 

 ing vengeance for the affront. He will know better 

 next time. 



Bees are very particular about the weather when they 

 swarm ; and the first swarm more particularly, as the 

 old queen goes off then, and she has more experience 

 than young queens in such things. A calm, sunny day 

 is chosen for migrating generally. If a storm arise at 

 the time swarms are expected, and continue one or two 

 days, or longer, the first fair day will bring them oui ; 



