SWARMING. 
189 
when to expect swarms, and when to cease looking 
for them. 
INVERTING A STOCK RATHER FORMIDABLE AT FIRST. 
To a person that has never inverted a hive full of 
bees, even to overflowing, or never has seen it done, 
it appears like a great undertaking, as well as the / 
probability of ruining the stock ! But after the first 
trial, the magnitude of the performance is greatly di- 
minished, and will grow less with every repetition of 
the feat, until there is not the least dread attending it. 
Without tobacco smoke I hardly think it practicable, 
but with it, there is not the least difficulty. It would 
be very unsatisfactory to turn over a hive and nothing 
to drive the bees away from the very places on the 
combs that you wish particularly to inspect. The 
smoke is just the thing to do it! As for the bad 
effects of such overturning and smoking, I never dis- 
covered any. 
REQUISITES BEFORE PREPARATION OF QUEEn’s CELLS. 
I have found the process for all regular swarms 
something like this : before they commence, two or 
three things are requisite. The combs must be crowded 
with bees; they must contain a numerous brood ad- 
vancing from the egg to maturity ; the bees must be 
obtaining honey either by being fed or from flowers. 
Being crowded with bees in a scarce time of honey is 
insufficient to bring out the swarm, neither is an 
abundance sufficient, without the bees and the brood. 
The period that all these requisites happen together, 
