508 now TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



old hive and remove it to the most distant stand from its former 

 position, facing its entrance in a different direction. Keep it 

 closed (e.Kcept the ventilating holes) until the evening of the 

 next daj. Put the new hive where the old one stood before. 

 T/te old hive must always be removed to another and different 'position, 

 and the new hive placed where the old one stood. 



A variation of the above mode for those who are afraid of 

 the bees is to puff the hive full of smoke, remove the top and 

 honey board from the old hive, and the bottom from the new 

 hive. Set the 7iew hive on top of the old hive. Drum with two 

 light sticks on the sides of the old hive, at the same time puffing 

 an occasional whiff of smoke into the entrance. The bees will, 

 after filling themselves with honey, ascend into the upper hive, 

 when they may be treated as before. This is a more uncertain 

 method, and should not be practised by any one who can muster 

 up courage enough to handle these harmless little insects. In 

 a week or two after making the swarms, examine all the colo- 

 nies and see that each has a fertile queen. This may be ascer- 

 tained by examining the combs for fresh laid eggs. If imma- 

 ture bees are at any time found on the bottom or about the en- 

 trance to the hive it is a sure sign of a fertile queen. If colo- 

 nies that have queens are raising others, it is a sign that they 

 intend swarming, and the queen cells should be cut out. 



Juhj is often a swarming month in bad seasons, and swarms 

 sometimes fill their hives and make some surplus honey. Shade 

 is very necessary during the heat of summer, and also free ven- 

 tilation. Give plenty of room to old colonies for surplus honey, 

 and also to new colonies as soon as they get the hive nearly 

 filled with comb. If there is a surplus of drone comb remove 

 it, for drones are great consumers. After your young queens 

 begin to lay, shut out the drones by means of the entrance 

 blocks. This can be done about one o'clock on some fine day, 



