486 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



According to directions, contract the entrance of the hive by putting in an entrance- 

 contracting cleat, which is merely a stick of the proper size to fit the eutianee, with a notch 

 cut out on the under side for the bees to pass in and out. Unless you buy a full-size colony 

 it is better to have the entrance quite small at the start. A nucleus does not need' a full-size 

 entrance. In fact, so large an opening is a positive disadvantage. 



Eemove the four screws that hold the top of the shipping-case securely to the side. 

 For goodness ' sake, don 't pry up the tacks from the edge of the wire cloth and imagine that 

 the bees will leave the combs in the shipping-case and crawl into the empty hive. Just 

 before you take the cover off, blow a very few puffs of smoke lightly across the wire cloth 

 to drive the bees down a little. Never try to stupefy bees with smoke. That is not what 

 the smoke is for. Smoke scares the bees, and their first impulse is to load up with honey, 

 so they run for the combs and eat all they can hold. Under such conditions they are good- 

 natured, like some of the higher types of animals. 



