TRANSFERRING. 129 



your intruding on their domain, and the other bees in the apiary 

 may become robbers; and thus being out of their way is bedng^ 

 out of danger. 



Secondly, there is a broken candle-box with about a third 

 of its side removed. With this the four cleats that hold it in 

 position as seen in Fig. 3 are made. Third is a basin to hold the 

 honey as it is taken from the hive-box, as comb with honey should 

 not be put in the frames when transferring. Fourth, a dinnei 

 knife, seen in No. 5, for cutting out the comb from the box, 

 and Fifth, some narrow bits of tape for the purpose of holding^ 

 the comb in positirn in the frame as seen in Fig. 4. In front of 

 the table is the bottom board of the old box. 



Fig. 1 is the gin case of bees as it was brought from the apiary 

 for the purpose of transferring. It was procured from elsewhere 

 for that purpose. It has many open joints ; these are stopped u{p 

 with old bagging. Such a box fitly illustrates bee-keeping as it 

 was prior to the introduction of the bar-framed system. The open 

 joints are the entrances for bee enemies and dampness and cold 

 draughts f)f air that foster all manner of bee diseases, and the old 

 bagging is the breeding ground for the bee-moth and the harbour 

 of spiders, etc. 



Fig. 2 is the same box on its side, showing the arrangement 

 of the combs within. It will be seen that some of the combs have 

 fallen down. Fallen comb is always a trouble to the bees, and 

 a loss to the bee-keeper. In a Langstroth hive if such a thing 

 happens it can be lectified. It will also be noted that the combs 

 are built diagonally, and in two different directions. 



Fig. 3 is the box turned bottom upwards and one of the sides 

 removed. The receiving box is in position and drumming is being 

 done. The bees are driven into the receiving box by rapid and 

 constant tapping at the sides of their old home. Sometimes a 

 puff of smoke or two is driven in between the combs for the purpose 

 of hastening their movements. If the bees should cluster in 

 amongst the combs in the corner of their old homes it is some- 

 times necessary to remove them. It can be done witli the naked 

 hand far better than with a bee-brush. It is quite safe, as can 

 be seen in Fig. 5. 



Fig. 4 illustrates the method of fixing the transferred combs 

 in the frames. The largest combs are first taken and cut to fit 

 the frames as near as possible. They are held in position with the 

 narrow tapes, as seen in the frame to the right. The smaller 



