SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 31 



smoked a few moments remove the cover and send a few whiffs of smoke 

 over the frames so some of it will reach the bees along on the top of the 

 comb; but don't send strong whiffs down between the frames, for this will 

 be too much smoke, and will cause them to become confused. Now begin 

 frame manipulation, inspection, or whatever there is to be done; but keep 

 the bees subdued, whenever they show signs of resistance, by mounting the 

 top-bars from below and giving you a straight look. Another whiff of smoke 

 will send them back down, head foremost. Repeat the dose as long as these 

 mounters appear while handling their comb. Usually bees will offer resistance 

 but a minute or so after they have been disturbed, for they will hustle about 

 over the comb until they find uncapped cells of honey, and then they will 

 gorge themselves on honey, and lose all inclination to fight or resist their 

 intruder. 



The art of subduing bees is soon learned after a few painful stings have 

 been endured. 



"Smoke should not be used in hiving swarms or in handling bees after 

 they have settled, any more than possible, for they don't need subduing, but 

 rather, gentle treatment. 



FRAME MANIPULATION. 



Handling frames of comb, honey, and bees intelligently is where the wheel 

 of fortune begins to turn in bee-keeping. Bees are subject to failure at any 

 time ; but by handling their comb from time to time, inspecting the condi- 

 tion of each colony, these failures, either on their part or the part of their 

 keeper, or Providence, which seems not to make a provision for man's part, 

 can be easily detected and supplied before the colony fails or soon after it 

 has started to. The needs or failures of a colony of bees will be fully ex- 

 plained elsewhere in this book, which can be and should be supplied from an 

 outside source, or have the bees help each other by making the "strong bear 

 the infirmities of the weak" by changing and interchanging frames of comb, 

 honey, and brood from one hive to another, equalizing them. 



There is no supposition in bee-keeping. If the frames are manipulated 

 we know what to depend on, for the condition of our bees is clear to us, 

 and we know that we can have them in good condition or in shape to gather 

 honey previous to each honey-flow, and that we shall save as large an 

 amount as possible with our force of bees if the weather condition is in our 

 favor. 



Then, too, frame manipulation is interesting— so much so that it never 

 gets to be monotonous. Elach hive of frames handled offers new ideas in 

 bee culture for our consideration ; and the art of handling them is soon 

 learned by any one who will apply himself. 



