The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-17

very soon upon the pieces OF 1Ounda-
ton, and the result will be the combs
are as straight as the frame. Every
bee keeper who has ever handled
bees can well appreciate the worth
of straight combs,
The swarming of bees, like almost
everything else is governed by GER
tain laws, and when these laws are
properly understood, then the bee
keeper will experience but little or
no trouble in managing them. Their
swarming proclivities have created a
great deal of interest and debate to
know the cause, etc. Some have
attributed swarming to one thing and
some to another. Swarming is both
necessary and natural; they multi.
ply and replenish their species, and
increase and go forth like most every.
thing else. Yet we give the bee the
most credit, as they seem to mani,
fest more sound judgment in their
management of affairs than even man
in many instances. When honey is
abundant they will raise large ta.ni-
lies, and when scarce just enough to
keep up the colony in tlourishing
condition. But they will not raise
much OF family when they have
but little to feed them on. "What
a lesson to man." If man would
follow this golden rule how much
suffering would be avoided The
hundreds and thousands of paupers
that now are seen destitute would be
provided for. But the little bees are
often, like man, liable to be de-
celved. Perhaps the season opened
finely, the bees started large brood
preparatory for swarming, but, alas,
they arc overtaken by sudden cold
change in the weather, perhaps
| cold rain sets in which prevents the
MOVERS from secretfng 5nsir dsua.
nectar; this prevents the gathering
OF honey for some little time Now
what is to be done The bees are
cognizant OF their critical condition
starvation now stares them III the
face, and the first effort is to save
themselves from starvation. This is
done by the bees uncapping the
brood and dragging them out of the
hive. They seem to understand that
if they are suffered to remain they
will require so much of their food
that they must all perish, hence their
wisdom in removing them.
PERIOD OF SWARM1NG.
The period OF swarming varies so
much that it is impossible to give
their time precisely. Again, the sea-
sons in the south are so changeable,
some seasons they commence to
swarm the middle OF March and
swarm until the last of June; again,
they will commence in August and
swarm into September. We have
had them do that, but the swarming
season generally ends by the middle
of June.
WHEN TO LOOK FOR YOUR FIRST
SWARMS.
Should the hives be filled with
combs and we'll filed with brood and
plenty of mature bees, the honey
harvest good, bees gathering largely,
plen.y of drones, swarms may be
look d for almost any time. Again,
| have known them to swarm when
their hive was not more than half
full These are rare instances; it
often occurs that heat will drive them
out. At such times the hive is very
full OF honey. A day or two just be-
fore swarming the first swarm will
cluster in a compact mass upon the
outside of the hive, though it often
occurs that they will cluster upon
the hive nearly all summer, without
swarming, when they lay out more
than six to eight days without
swarming. | then swarm artifcially
providing the bees are gathering
honey plentitully.
ARTIFICIAL SWARMING.
For this we practice two or three
methods one | give now
When the hive is full OF bees and
brood, and at a time of day when
the bees are out, largely, we take off
frame with plenty Of brood, with
queen on it and place it with queen
into a new hive full of frames with