95 
a variation of a week or ten days may be made from 
the usual time. 
After the bee-keeper has obtained knowledge from 
experience, and the season is favorable, strong stocks 
may be swarmed successfully until the beginning of 
August ; in such cases buckwheat should be sown early, 
in order to produce a rich fall pasturage. 
3d. The method employed in artificial swarming is of 
no little consequence ; whether in harmony with or in 
violation of the nature of the bees. The success in 
providing the queenless part with a fertile queen, and 
the time required, forms the principal part of the value 
of any method. Various methods are known, applica- 
ble under various circumstances of time, conditions 
of hive and colony, and inclinations and desires of the 
bee-keeper. A few of the most practical methods of 
forming artificial swarms, under various circumstances, 
will be described. Always swarm the strongest colony 
first. 
Before swarming, a number of queens should be 
raised to supply all artificial swarms as soon as they 
are formed ; if the first stock is to be divided on the 
first of June, queen cells have to be started, by caging 
or removing the queen, (see Queen Raising,) on the 
tenth of May ; or if the artificial colonies are to be 
provided with an embryo queen, in a queen-cell, then 
these cells are to be started ten days before you desire 
