de
during their swarming or hiving. The only effect of noise, ringing of
bells, &tc., that I could ever discover, was, to render them more hostile
and unmanageable.

When bees are treated in accordance with their true nature, they are
sometimes hostile, which originates from two causes: First, some of them
lie out of the hive before swarming and some of them, in consequence of
their confusion in swarming, are not apprised of the intention of the
Queen to leave the old stock and seek a new habitations and they sally
forth with the swarm without filling their sacks with stores, which always
makes them more irritable than when their stomachs are rilled with food.

The Vermont hive possesses advantages in this respect, as well as others,
far superior to the old box. Instead of lying out before swarming, as in
the old box, they go up into the drawers, and are constantly employed in
depositing the delicious fruits of their labors; and being in the hive,
where they can hear and observe all the movements of the Queen, they go
forth well stored with provisions suited to the peculiar exigency of the
case; which ordinarily prevents all feelings of hostility.

The second reason why bees are sometimes irritable, and are disposed to
sting when they swarm, is, the air is forbidding to them, by being cold or
otherwise, so as to impede them in their determined emigration. In all
such cases, the apiarian should be furnished with a veil, made of
millinet, or some light covering which may be worn over his hat, and let
down so low as to cover his face and bosom, and fixed in such a manner as
to prevent their stinging. He should also put on a pair of thick woolen
gloves or stockings over his hands, thus managing them without the least
danger.

A clean hive is all that is needed for a swarm of bees, with careful and
humane treatment.

A cluster of bees should never be shook or jarred any more than merely to
disengage them from the limb or place where they are collected, nor should
they fall any great distance, because their sacks are full when they
swarm, which renders them both clumsy and harmless, and harsh treatment
makes them irritable and unmanageable.

I know of no rule by which the exact day of their first swarming can be
known with certainty. The apiarian will estimate near the time by the
number of bees in and about the hive, as it will become very much
crowded.

The day of second swarming, and all after that during the same