SWARMING. 
53 
is not much above what takes place in an ordinary hive, the 
idea of producing a monster colony to fill a large bee-house 
or a garret is preposterous. It is true there have been cases 
of an extraordinary yield of honey and combs, but such a 
colony kept twelve years would not likely yield a surplus 
of five hundred pounds, whilst one colony on the swarming 
plan by doubling its numbers only every two years, would at 
the end of twelve years have produced sixty-four swarms, 
which would then, in one season, at twenty pounds each, yield 
more than a thousand - pounds of honey. 
WHEN TO EXPECT SWARMS. 
There is no probability that a colony will swarm except it 
is collecting honey quite freely. They would be reckless to 
start a new colony where there was no probability that it could 
be maintained. If the hive is very large so that the bees are 
not likely to fill it, or if they should fill it, if it contains three 
or four bushels, there will not likely be more than one chance 
in ten for their swarming. But if they are gathering honey 
freely, and are strong in numbers so as to be crowded for room, 
and the weather is fair, swarms may be expected to issue be- 
tween nine in the morning and three in the afternoon. There 
is some variation from this rule, especially in after-swarms. 
About the time that swarms are expected, invert the hive and , 
blow a little smoke among the bees to drive them off the combs. 
If queen-cells are found capped over, a swarm may be looked 
for immediately. Although, if all the circumstances are favor- 
able, they will sometimes swarm when they have got no far- 
ther on at most than to have queen cells started. This was 
generally the case last season. 
Drones generally begin to appear before the swarming com- 
mences. But the presence of capped queen cells is the best 
evidence of their intention to swarm. To the inexperienced, 
this turning up a hive to examine it is quite a formidable un- 
dertaking, but the dread of it soon vanishes on trial. In all 
operations involving danger of an onset, be sure to always 
have the first blow. Give them smoke enough to alarm them 
5>nd make them submissive before the hive is moved in the 
least ; if the bees are on the outside, smoke them in. If the 
bees have their queen cells capped and all preparations ready 
for swarming, a sudden change to wet and stormy weather 
