MANAGEMENT OF HONEY BEES. 111 
experience, the time occupied by the queen 
in laying the eggs of workers, before she be- 
gins those of drones, and, of course, those 
that shall produce queens and their accom- 
panying swarms, varies according to the 
temperature, and especially to the abundance 
of food. A swarm, for example, that came 
off at the end of June, sometimes throws off 
a swarm about the middle of the following 
May, which is little more than ten months of 
an interval, and on the other hand, it some- 
times happens that a hive which has swarm- 
ed at the middle of May, does not throw off 
another till the end of June, in the following 
year, which is above thirteen months. 
CHAPTER XVII. 
ON ARTIFICIAL SWARMS. 
ARTIFICIAL Swarming is not generally 
practiced in this country, owing probably to 
