As soon as they have become accustomed to their new location, one of the most important operations in bee management becomes necessary, to wit, the thorough examination of the swarm, for five purposes: First, to ascertain if they have sufficient honey to carry them through; of this we may judge with sufficient accuracy from the appearance of the quantity. Be sure to leave them enough, as the breeding season is now considerably advanced. We must also regard the size of the swarm, which will, of course, include the quantity of brood now on hand. Secondly, to see if they have too much honey. This reason is almost equally important with the other; it could be hardly conceived by the novice how it was possible that a swarm of bees could have too much honey. Well, we would like to have you explain that, Mr. Lecturer, says one--I think many. Well, be patient, my friends, and we will make the attempt. First, then, we will suppose the breeding chamber of the hive is the proper size. This involves the question as to what is the proper size. Well, there are various opinions about it; but with some experience, aided by a few simple figures, we may approximate to it. We may assume that a vigorous and healthy queen can and will lay three thousand eggs a day; now, each square inch of comb will contain fifty eggs, and fifty will go into three thousand sixty times; it takes about twenty-one days for the eggs to hatch; now twenty-one times sixty is one thousand two hundred and sixty: this would be a solid mass of comb, larva and pupa; of a necessity, then, we must add to the above one thousand two hundred and sixty, half as much more room, six hundred and thirty inches, making the inside of the hive one thousand eight hundred and ninety cubic inches. It will be well to add say half an inch more to the depth of the hive, as the bees seldom build combs to within half an inch of the bottom board. Well, suppose the hive is fourteen inches each way (horizontal) we would thus add ninety-eight inches more; this would give one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight, or for convenience, two thousand cubic inches; two thousand two hundred and eighteen and one-fifth cubic inches are a bushel, which is most commonly given as the proper size of the hive. Now, our figures have given nearly that size, and worked mathematically close, and giving a little leeway, our hive will hold about a bushel. Let us recollect this is the room required for breeding purposes. We added two hundred inches, and will suppose that will be filled with pollen and honey; now, if these premises be correct, we start in the spring with the size of our hive much reduced by being filled with honey, as we have but two hundred cubic inches for that purpose and the bee-bread. Can we now see that a swarm of bees may have too much honey in the breeding chamber? Still we must leave enough at this examination to carry them safe through till an abundant supply can be obtained from the blossoms.