perceive the queen-bee the foremost amongst them. Seize her between your
fore finger and thumb, and confine her in your hand till most part of
the bees take wing; let her then go, the bees will soon join her, and
settle on some branch of a tree. Put them into an empty hive. Restore
the old hive in its place, that the bees which have been out in the
fields may enter it on their return, and having allowed them to remain
there an hour or two, place it upon another stand near or next to its
own.

The hive having what may now be called a swarm in it, is then placed
on the stand of the old stock; and if the bees in both hives work
regularly, carrying in loads of pollen on their thighs, all is well.

Bees are not apt to sting when they swarm naturally, therefore, it is
not necessary then to take extraordinary precaution against them; but
when any of these violent and artificial modes are attempted, I should
advise the operator to be well guarded at all points.

Wildman weighed bees and found it required 4,928 bees to make a pound of
sixteen ounces, but the different circumstances in bees may occasion a
considerable difference in their weight. When the bees swarm, they come
out loaded with wax secreted in their wax pockets and honey in their
honey bags, and would weigh heavier than bees taken for that purpose
by chance; and, therefore, the number of the bees is not to be thus
computed, from the weight of the swarm; for one fourth of the number at
least should be deducted, in lieu of the wax and honey they have brought
off with them. There is also another allowance to be made, namely, that
when alive, they do not probably weigh so heavy as when dead.

The person who intends to erect an apiary, should purchase a proper
number of hives at the latter end of the year, when they are cheapest.
The hives should be full of combs, and well stored with bees.

The purchaser should examine the combs, in order to know the age of the
hives. The combs of that season are white, those of a darkish yellow are
of the previous year; and, where the combs are black, the hives should
be rejected, because old hives are most liable to vermin and other
accidents.

If the number of hives wanted were not purchased in the autumn, it will
be necessary to remedy this neglect after the severity of the cold is
past in the spring. At this season, bees which are in good condition,
will get into the fields early in the morning, return loaded, enter
boldly, a