32 
The first swarm from a hive, in spring, is generally — 
from the last lay of the preceding year. This last lay re- a 
mains in the hive during autumn and winter, in the state a 
of eggs fecundated by the drones. These eggs do not — 
hatch till the return of warm weather; and the drones — 
hatched from this lay, as soon as they cast their nymphal 
robes, fecundate the eggs which the queen has already — 
laid, in the new cells of the current year. ta 
All the bees of the first hatch, are not destined to 
form anew colony. ‘The maternal family reserves a suf- 
ficient number of young bees, to supply the place of those — 
missing of the old stock, beginning with the drones, which _ 
are of the first utility. It often happens, that all the bees 
of the first hatch, are united to the maternal family. — 
Then the first swarm which comes off, will be altogether — 
from the spring lay, and will not take place till later in 
the season. 
Attention ought to be paid, to hive a swarm as soon as ~ 
possible after it appears, to avoid the trouble of stopping — 
it on its flight, and the risk of losing it. A swarm rarely — 
remains two hours on its first resting place, after it leaves 
its mother-hive; and if the rays of the sun beam severely — 
on the place-where it first settles, it will soon quit it, and 
seek a new asylum. 
When the swarm is put into the hive, it ought not to be a 
removed from the place till the next day, about the same _ 
time it came off, that the straggling bees may rally, and — 
enter the hive, before it be removed to its destined fixture 
on the bench. When a new hived swarm is placed on its — 
bench, if the bees which had not joined it before or during 
the night, should present themselves in open day, they 
-would be treated ‘as strangers, and destroyed. They 
would also be destroyed, if they return to the mother-hive, 
which they can never enter. 
_ Straw panniers are the best to hive bees in. They. 
should by rubbed inside with thyme, pennyroyal, or other 
aromatic plants, to attract the bees. The sticks of the 
pannier might also be rubbed -with honey, and the bees 
would settle on them with eagerness. But people are not _ 
always supplied with panniers of sufficient capacity to con- 
tain a swarm, from a Scottish, or pyramidal hive. In such _ 
case, a second pannier should be placed under the first; _ 
and in a few days after, if it be found that the bees are 
not incommoded by their number in the upper pannier, the 
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