POULTRY AND BEES. 507 



leave space for t\\ o frames, vacant. If you have plenty of good 

 worker comb fasten it in the frames with wax. The bees are 

 delighted to find such treasures in their new quarters; they 

 serve also as guides in building new comb. Never put drone 

 comb in the frames, but if good, save it to put into the surplus 

 honey boxes. Having your new hives all ready, you wish to 

 open a hive and take out a part of its bees. If there are any 

 clustered about the entrance give them a puff of smoke. A tin 

 tube in the shape of a cigar, but longer, is needed in these ope- 

 rations ; in it put a burning chip, or piece of dry, decayed wood, 

 or a burning puff ball, or any thing that will make smoke. 

 Now take off the top of the hive, uncover a hole in the honey 

 board, and puff in two or three whiffs of smoke. Carefully 

 loosen and lift off the honey board, give the bees a gentle 

 sprinkling of honey water or sweetened water, and you can do 

 what you will in the hive. Experienced bee keepers omit the 

 smoke and only Sprinkle the bees. Now with a knife carefully 

 loosen each frame from the side of the hive. Gently move 

 those in the center nearer together, so as to give plenty of room 

 to lift out the end frame first. If it should be fastened to the 

 side cut it ofi' with a sharp knife. Slowly and steadily lift out 

 each frame and shake the bees from the comb on to the sheet in 

 front of the new hive. Get the bees once started into it and all 

 will follow. If you see the queen, which you will be likely to 

 do, be sure that she goes into the neiu hive, and all will be well. 

 Put about three-fourths of the bees and one or two com.bs, with 

 both brood and honey, into the new hive. See that you leave 

 queen cells in the old hive. As you have put two frames from 

 the old hive into the new hive, you will make their places good 

 either with empty frames or frames with worker comb in them. 

 This whole operation is readily accomplished inside of ten min- 

 utes, after a little experience. l\o\v close up the entrance to the 



