as swarms are, they prevent a maximum crop of honey because they 
take place during a honey flow. For a while the hive that is going to 
swarm is all excitement, then the swarm leaves with half the workers 
of that hive ; therefore, not nearly as much honey is gathered by them, 
as if the hive had kept its whole working force. Even if you catch 
the swarm and thus obtain another hive, you will not gain any honey, 
for the swarm must build its wax combs in which to store its honey 
and rear its young. By that time the honey flow will be over and the 
swarm well estabHshed in its new home, but in doing this it has used 
a great amount of honey and has stored up no surplus for you. 
Every now and then, in spite of care, a hive will cast a swarm. 
Then instead of the lazy contented hum in the apiary, a loud roar is 
heard, and countless numbers of bees are seen pouring out of the hive 
entrance almost like a cascade. Instead of the straight Hnes of bees 
flying to and fro from the clover fields, overhead the air is black with 
whirling eddies of bees. Soon, their general direction is seen and 
usually the limb of a tree is where they will settle. If the apiary is 
in an orchard the trees are fairly low. Sometimes the swarm will 
cling to the end of a lower branch which is bent down to the ground 
with its weight. Then they are easily hived, but if they swarm on a 
high branch the hive can be fastened up in the tree near them, though 
often it is easier to saw off the branch they are on and carry it down a 
ladder to the hive prepared for it. A board is arranged leading to the 
hive entrance, and the swarm is gently brushed or shaken on this, 
until it starts to go in ; then all is well, for just as quickly as the bees 
come out of the old hive, they will enter the new. Instead of rushing 
madly like a dashing torrent as they left their old home they flow 
evenly and smoothly into the new one, and instead of a roar, there is 
a high note probably made by the wings vibrating rapidly which 
seem to act as a band of music drawing the bees into the hive. Bees 
are not always content to remain in the hive in which you place them. 
To make the hive more attractive to them a frame of young is taken 
from another hive and the old bees shaken off before placing it in the 
hive the swarm is to occupy. Some of the workers will at once start 
to feed the young, others to hang in festoons preparatory to secreting 
wax with which to build new combs. Bees that swarm are gorged 
with honey when they leave the parent hive, for in this condition 
only can they secrete wax, which is the foundation for their new home. 
It is estimated that to produce one pound of wax, five pounds of 
honey are consumed by the bees. Swarming bees hang in a cluster 
varying lengths of time, from twenty minutes to two hours and 
longer. 
It is the custom in some places to beat gongs, ring bells, and make 
a din to keep the swarm from flying away before they are hived. This 
