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cell and giving it extra food. At the period of swarming the oldest 

 queen in the hive leads off the swarm and the younger queens that are 

 still in the cells are not allowed to escape until the swarm is ready to 

 depart on its quest for a new home, thus preventing a fatal contest 

 between rival queens. When a queen has led a swarm from the nest 

 she does not as a rule make a long flight and the swarm is generally 

 found hanging to a branch of some tree or bush not far distant from its 

 original home. 



The swarming takes place almost any time between April and 

 September and the size of the swarm, varies according to the strength 

 of the hive. A strong swarm is generally about the size of a man's 

 head. When it is desired to collect a swarm the following method 

 should be adopted. An empty basket or small wooden box should be 

 placed over the swarm mouth downwards and the bees should be gently 

 brushed into the receptacle by the hand or a small twig gently and up- 

 wards. In this manner the queen bee will be quickly in the basket or 

 box and the worker bees quickly follow of their own accord. Care should 

 be taken to handle the insects as gently as possible and if this is done 

 they remain in a perfectly good temper; but the slightest roughness or 

 nervousness will rouse the bees at once. A hive should in the mean- 

 time be prepared for their reception. *A wooden kerosene oil case is a 

 very suitable size and is easily converted into a hive by cutting a few 

 small holes on one of the under edges to allow the bees to freely enter 

 and leave. The floor of the hive should have a small platform project- 

 ing to enable the laden bees to alight before crawling into the hive. A 

 few air holes should be bored in the box and a sloping span roof of 

 overlapping boards should be placed over the hive to exclude rain. 

 A small door at one end of the hive will be found very useful. Square 

 frames of k inch wood should be made to fit into the hive to carry the 

 combs. Not more than three frames should be put into a new hive to 

 commence with. If possible a small piece of comb should be attached 

 to the upper inside edge of the centre frame to act as a guide and on 

 this foundation the bees will commence to build their comb. W 7 hen 

 the hive has been thus prepared it is ready for the reception of the new 

 swarm. In introducing the bees to the hive the same process should 

 be gone through as used in collecting the bees from the tree or bush. 

 When the bees have been in the hive for about two weeks the frames 

 should be taken out and examined and the most forward comb should 

 be kept in the centre of the Hive with the less forward frames on either 

 side and as close together as will allow the bees to work round the 

 combs. As the strength of the hive increases the number of frames 

 should be increased, always taking care to keep the most forward combs 

 in the centre. If this system is followed the bees will always be able 

 to cover the combs and protect them from ants and other enemies. 



It will be found that the upper part of each comb is reserved for 

 storing honey and the lower part for breeding cells principally, so that 

 it is not necessary to follow the practice in vogue in Europe of having 

 a layer of queen proof zinc between the honey and breeding combs, 

 although this system may easily be adopted if desired. The best 

 quality of honey is made during the months of June, July and August. 

 That "made during the preceeding months is thinner and of poorer 



