THE APIAKY. 353 



of cloth. We now place a comb on this cloth, and a frame on the comb, and 

 cut ont the comb the size of the inside of the frame, taking pains to save all 

 the brood, Now crowd the frame over the comb, so that the latter will be in 

 the same position that it was when in the old hive ; that is, the honey will be 

 above ; then fasten the comb in the frame, by winding about all one or two 

 small wires or pieces of wrapping twine. To raise the frame and comb before 

 fastening, raise the board beneath till the frame is vertical. Set this frame in 

 the new hive, and proceed with the others in the same way till we have all the 

 worker comb — that with small cells — fastened in. To secure the pieces, which 

 we shall find abundant at the end, take thin pieces of wood, one-half inch wide 

 and a trifle longer than the frame is deep, place these in pairs either side the 

 comb, extending up and down, and enough to hold the pieces secure till the 

 bees shall fasten them, and secure the strips by winding with small wire, just 

 above and below the frame, or these may be tacked to the frame with small 

 tacks. Having fastened all the worker comb that we can fasten into the frames, 

 — of course all the other, and all bright drone comb, will be preserved for use 

 as guide-comb, — and placed the frames in the new hive, we now place our hive 

 on the swarming-board or sheet, with its front raised, and shake all the bees 

 from the cluster, from the box which we set on the old stand, and any that may 

 have clustered where we transferred the comb, in front just as before explained 

 when describing the method of hiving in natural swarming. After the bees 

 have all gone in, set the hive where the old one sat. In two or three days go 

 and remove the wires or strings and sticks, when we shall find the combs all 

 fastened and smoothed off, and the bees as busily engaged as though their pres- 

 ent home had always been the seat of their labors. 



SHALL WE CLIP THE QUEEN'S WING? 



In the above operation, as in many other manipulations of the hive, we shall 

 often gain sight of the queen, and can if we desire clip her wing, if she has met 

 the drone, that in no case she shall lead the colony away to parts unknown. 

 This does not injure the queen, as some have claimed. Yet if she essays to go 

 with a swarm, and if the apiarist is not at hand, she will very likely be lost, 

 never regaining the hive ; but in this case the bees will be saved, as they will 

 return to the hive. I always mean to be so watchful, keeping my hives shaded, 

 gi\'ing ample room, and dividing or increasing, as to prevent natural swarming. 

 But in lieu of such caution I see no objection, and would advise clipping the 

 queen's wing. 



ROBBING. 



In transferring, extracting, and in various other labors of the apiary, espe- 

 cially if there is a dearth of honey secretion, we are apt to induce robbing. 

 Black bees especially are very apt to rob, and to be robbed. Italians almost 

 always, and always if strong, will defend their stores. 



Should we find our bees robbing, we have only to contract the opening of the 

 hive which is the scene of pillage, so that but one bee can j)ass at a time, to put 

 a stop to all further trespass. But the thoughtful apiarist will never fear rob- 

 bers, as his colonies will be so strong that it will be asorry day for the "tramp" 

 that attempts to gain an entrance, 



BEE MOTH — GALLERIA CEREAisA — FAB. 



It might be expected that this enemy would receive attention at this time, and 

 in such a treatise. Yet if Italian bees are kept, or if the bees are kept strong, 

 45 



