SWARMING. 
195 
swarmed before being quite full ; it seemed as if some- 
thing like a preparation beforehand was requisite. I 
knew of no means, for a long time, that would decide 
positively ; when it occurred to me, if I examined the 
old stock immediately after the first swarm had left, I 
should find some preparations if there were any ; a 
thing so simple and easy that I felt somewhat morti- 
fied not to have thought of it before. The first stock 
I looked at revealed the secret. I examined it the 
evening of the day that a swarm had left ; I was grat- 
ified by finding two finished cells on the lower edges 
of the combs ; other cells were in different stages of 
progression, from those containing an egg to the full de- 
veloped larva. Several more hives showed the same 
result. I now got bold enough to examine some pre- 
vious to swarming, as I have already explained. 
MR. MINER NOT CORRECT. 
Mr. T. B. Miner, in his work, has allowed the prep- 
aration of queen cells previous to swarming, but he 
has put off the time of the swarm issuing eight or nine 
days too long. That is, he has the young queen ma- 
tured so that she commences piping first, which does 
not occur more than one time in fifty. 
Now I think it more than probable that many read- 
ers will have some doubts in regard to my statements 
about this swarming matter. Yet I think I can give 
directions sufficiently particular that they may remove 
them themselves. They should bear in mind that 
they have no right to be positive on any subject with 
out an investigation. 
