honey. When this is the case, a piece of tliin metal shouiij 

 be slipped between the glass and the wooden top, so as to 

 cut off the combs from tlieir attachment to the floor, and at 

 the same to prevent the bees in the interior from escaping- 

 when the glass is removed. This should not be done imme- 

 diately, as the queen may be among those imprisoned in the 

 glass, which will be known by the quiet behaviour of the bees 

 already in the glass. If they become excited, the queen is 

 sure not to be among them, and the glass may be taken off, 

 and its place supplied by another. The full cap, being in- 

 stantly wrapped in a cloth, should be taken to some distance 

 from the hive, and on the removal of the cloth the imprisoned 

 bees will take the opportunity of regaining their home. A 

 cap thus treated may be sold at a high price, as the comb 

 will contain no eggs, young, or bee-bread, and also forms a 

 very pretty ornament to the table. I knew one case where a 

 lady, a bee enthusiast, took a cap nearly three feet in height 

 full of pure honey, and was so charmed with it that she kept 

 it as a spectacle, and never could prevail upon herself to 

 empty it. If this plan be adopted, the bees will find plenty 

 to do, and you will not have a swarm until the hive is so 

 strong that it can easily spare it, and at the same time the 

 original stock of honey in the hive will be untouched, and 

 may possibly afford another supply, although not quite so 

 pure. 



Another very excellent way is to form the top of the 

 hive of loose bars, instead of a solid board. This not only 

 admits of capping, by placing over the bars a board per- 

 ibrated in the usual manner, but allows the bee-keeper to 

 remove any comb at pleasure. This is a most useful power, 

 as old combs can in that manner be removed, or unsound 

 portions cut away without disturbing the remainder of the 

 hive. Each bar should be loosely placed in notches cut in 

 the top of the hive, and always laid from front to back. The 

 bees can be easily induced to follow the direction of the bars by 

 })lacing a piece of guide-comb upon each bar. This is done 

 by taking a piece of pure, clean comb, some of which should 

 always be kept for the purpose, rubbing it on a smooth piece 

 of iron, and then immediately pressing on the bar, to which 

 it will adhere with tolerable firmness, and the bees will of 

 their own accord fix it quite tight. Tiiis should bo done to 



