for the queens' cells, where most of
them are. If the hive is fully supplied with honey, they will be near
the bottom, if not, farther up among the combs; in some hives they
cannot be seen even where they exist. Yet they may be found in four out
of five, by a thorough search. I have found nine within two inches of
the bottom, some on the extreme ends of the comb. I would here give a
caution about turning over hives with very new combs, before they are
attached to the sides of the hive, as they are apt to bend over.

EMPTY HIVES TO BE READY.

We will now suppose that some of your stocks are ready to cast their
swarms: we will also presume that your empty hives for the reception of
swarms are ready before this period; to prepare a hive after the swarm
has issued is bad management; negligence here argues negligence
elsewhere; it is one of the premonitions of "bad luck."

BOTTOM-BOARDS FOR HIVING.

You will want also a number of bottom-boards, expressly for hiving; get
a board a little larger than the bottom of the hive, nail strips across
the ends on the under side to prevent warping; in the middle cut out a
space five or six inches square, and cover with wire cloth. These are
for your large swarms in very hot weather, to be used for four or five
days. They are much safer than to raise the hive an inch or more for
ventilation. They are also essential for many other occasions. I would
not do without them, even if the expense was ten times what it is.

DESCRIPTION OF SWARM ISSUING.

When the day is fair and not too much wind, first swarms generally
issue from ten o'clock till three; if you are on the lookout, the first
outside indication of a swarm, will be an unusual number of bees around
the entrance, from one to sixty minutes before they start. The utmost
confusion seems to prevail, bees running about in every direction; the
entrance apparently closed with the mass of bees, (perhaps one
exception in twenty,) presently a column from the interior forces a
passage to the open air; they come rushing out by hundreds, all
vibrating their wings as they march out; and when a few inches from the
entrance, rise in the air; some run up the side of the hive, others to
the edge of the bottom-board. If you have seen the old queen come
rushing out the first one, and the rest following her, as we are often
told she does, you have seen what I never did in a first swarm! Second
and third swarms conduct themselves quite differe