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DR. MILLER S 
and if you don’t mind the amount of work involved in returning 
it half a dozen times or more, the old way is good. Here’s another 
way you may like better : When the swarm issues, return it and 
kill the old queen. A week later destroy all queen-cells but one. 
If you miss no cells there ought to be no more swarming. If you 
hive the swarm in a box and wait twenty-four hours before re- 
turning it to the mother colony, there will be more likelihood of 
it remaining than if returned at once. 
Q. My prime swarms invariably, after I hive them, leave the 
hives and return to the parent colony. My hives are all new and 
up to date, and I can’t account for this. If you can cast a little 
light on this subject it will be appreciated. 
A. That’s just the way my bees do, and it’s a good deal better 
than to have queen, bees and all going off to return no more. The 
reason my bees do so is because the queens’ wings are clipped so 
they cannot go with the swarms, and when a swarm finds out the 
queen is not along there is nothing for it to do but to return to 
the old home. Of course, I don’t know anything about it, but as 
you have things "all new and up to date,” my guess would be that 
you have lately begun beekeeping and have bought colonies with 
queens whose wings have been clipped. If that isn’t the right 
answer, then I don’t know what is the answer. It occasionally 
happens, where queens are not clipped, that a swarm returns be- 
cause something has happened to the queen so she cannot fly, 
but to have it happen “invariably” with whole wings is something 
beyond me. 
Swarms, Second. (See Also Afterswarms.) — Q. After the first 
swarm issues, how soon can I look for another? 
A. A second swarm usually issues about eight days after the 
first, but the time may be less, and it may be more. The issuing 
of a prime swarm is sometimes delayed by bad weather, and it 
may be delayed by the queen failing for some reason to go with 
the swarm. 
Swarms, Sprinkling. — Q. Do you think best to sprinkle bees 
with water before putting them in the hive when they swarm? 
A. It is not a general custom, but if there is fear that the 
swarm will go off, sprinkling will help to prevent it. 
Swarms, Value of. — Q. Will a new swarm gather any surplus 
honey the first season? 
A. Yes; as a general rule the swarm is the one to rely on 
for a crop, it being put on the old stand after removing the old 
hive to a new stand. 
