A YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 
67 
regular noise is so great among so many that the added noise 
of a swarm is hardly noticed ; so sight, not hearing, must be 
depended on. I have gone on with my regular work and 
taken a look once in five or ten minutes along the rows to see 
if any swarms were out, but it is not a very satisfactory way 
of doing. A bright boy or girl can watch very well, if faith- 
ful. It is not necessary, of course, to watch all day ; and the 
weather has much to do with the hours at which swarms may 
be expected. On a hot morning a swarm may issue as early 
as six o’clock, but this is exceptional ; and if the weather has 
been cloudy through the day, clearing off bright and warm 
in the after part, a swarm may issue after four o’clock. 
Ordinarily, however, it is not necessary to be on the lookout 
before 8 a.m„ or much after 2 p.m. I had a swarm issue once 
in a shower, but that is so unlikely to occur that I would not 
think it worth while to keep any watch at such a time. 
The watcher will soon learn the points of advantage from 
which he can easily command a view of the whole apiary, 
not needing to stir from his seat unless a swarm issues. 
Sometimes, however, there is so much playing going on 
among the bees, that there is no alternative but to travel 
about and take a close look at each colony that shows 
unusual excitement. It is an advantage at this time to have 
the hives in long rows. I have 40 hives in a row. Three 
such rows, 8 feet apart, make 120. At the middle is a shady 
place to sit. A clock or watch lies in open sight so that a 
look at every hive may be taken once in five minutes. If 
there is no time-piece to go by, the watcher may become 
interested in something else, and think the five minutes not 
up when double that time has passed ; but having the time 
measured out, he is free to read or do anything else between 
times. At each five minutes, the watcher, who is sitting at 
the middle of the middle row, rises, glances along the back 
row to the north end ; then, along the middle row to 
the north end ; then, stepping forward, glances along the 
front row to the north end ; then along the same row to 
the south end ; then to the south end of the middlejrow ; and 
