Of the Swarming and Hiving of Bees. rr 
From hence it is eafy to compute the number of Bees 
in a fwarm, of four or five pounds in weight, viz, eight 
thoufand, or upwards; proportionable to which would 
be an hive of fuch an extent, 
Your hives thus at hand, you may drefs them agreea- 
ble to your own fancy. IJrub mine only with a fmall 
‘handful of fennel, dipped in a little ale fweetened with fu- 
gar; fometimes with nothing at all, except it be a-new 
hive. 
It is a common practice with moft to place fticks in 
the. hives, the better, as they fuppofe, to faften the 
‘combs. But if your hives are of a right form, ‘and nar- 
“Tower at the mouth than the middle, I fee not any the 
“leaft occafion for fuch a precaution. The Bees’ will 
_themfelves effectually fecure the combs from falling. 
aieed you will gain this advantage by this means, 
. ¢. taking out the combs full of honey, ina manner 
entire, and not broke i in pieces, 
_ The two principal fwarming months are very well 
‘known to be May and une. As to the hour of the day 
it is not certain; I have known them to rife near eight 
inthe morning, and after four in the afternoon; but 
moft generally between ‘eleven, and one ortwo. ‘It 
might not be amifs to have a watchful eye upon them 
a good part of the day. And now be fure to give them 
_ door-room enough, opening the whole paflage for them, 
- tho’ it be a week or ten days before the fwarm comes. 
As foon as your fwarm is fettled, hive them to pre- 
vent any other joining with them. The method of hi- 
ving them, you will learn from their place and manner 
of 
