rom the stock. The swarm is sure to
come back; the first bees that alight on the hive will set up the call;
as soon as this is perceived, lose no time in setting the old stock on
the board, and throwing the sheet over it to keep out the bees. Put the
new one in its place on the stand, and the queen in it; in a few
minutes the swarm will be in the _new_ hive, when it can be removed,
and the old one replaced. This I have done many times. But should the
swarm begin to cluster in a convenient place, when you have so caught
the queen, by being expeditious she may be put with the swarm, before
they have missed her and may be hived in the usual way.

LIABILITY TO ENTER WRONG STOCKS.

In all cases, whether you set a new hive in place of the old one or
not, whenever a swarm returns, if other stocks stand close on each
side, they are quite sure to receive a portion of the bees--probably a
few hundreds; these are certain to be massacred. To prevent which, it
is necessary to throw sheets over them until the swarm has gathered on
their own hive. This is another reason for plenty of room between
stocks. Should no queen be discovered during their issue, or return,
she should be sought for in the vicinity of the hive, and put back if
found, and the swarm will be likely to issue several days earlier, than
to wait for a young queen.

When the old queen is actually lost, and the bees have returned to wait
for a young one, it is often ready to leave one or two days short of
the time required for second swarms. Whether a greater number of bees
in the old stock creating more animal heat, matures the chrysalis in
less time than a stock thinned by casting a swarm, or some other cause,
I cannot say. I mention it because I have known it to occur frequently,
but not invariably. A swarm flying, unaccompanied by a queen, is
scattered more than usual.

FIRST ISSUES GENERALLY CHOOSE FAIR WEATHER.

First swarms are commonly more particular as to weather than after
swarms. They have several days from which to choose, after these royal
cells are ready, and before the queens are matured; and they usually
take a fair one. But here again are exceptions. I once had two first
swarms issue in a wind that kept every branch of tree and bush in
agitation to such a degree that it was impossible to find any such
place to cluster. I expected their return to the old hive; but here
were more exceptions. After repeating a fruitless attempt at the
branches, t