48 On Rational Bee-Keeping. 
has issued from a hive, it returns to it again. 
This may occur from two different causes ; 
either from the queen returning of her own 
accord, or from her being lost and the bees 
being unable to find her. 
A natural swarm is composed of the queen- 
mother who comes from the original hive, of 
worker bees, and of males or drones. 
When a swarm has just issued from a hive, 
in order to make it settle, some dust or sand 
should be thrown into the midst of the bees ; or, 
what is better, some water should be sprinkled 
amongst them by means of a broom. This will 
cause the bees to cluster, either on some branch 
of a tree or shrub, or else against the trunk of a 
tree, sometimes at the foot of a wall, and some- 
times even on the ground. 
In order to hive the bees when in this con- 
dition, take a very clean hive ; rub its inner 
surface with mint or thyme, or if either of these 
should not be at hand, with the leaves of a plum 
tree. Place your hive below the bees, and give 
the branch a smart tap in order to make them 
fall into the hive if possible. Cover the hive 
up immediately with the floor-board and turn it 
over. Then insert between the hive and its 
