NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 219 



If bees are sent long distances, they must be furnished with 

 old, tough combs, otherwise no combs at all, as newly made 

 combs on foundation are nice to look at, but surely break 

 down in transit, and combs and bees at the end of the 

 journey will be found to consist of one smothered mass of 

 moving insects that survive but a few hours after arrival. 

 Skeps will be found most convenient for sending swarms in. 

 They should be covered over with sacking of coarse, open 

 texture, and carried with mouth upwards. 



Adding Supers. Surplus comb-honey in all its attrac- 

 tive forms occupies a portion of the bee-keeper's fancy. He 

 now finds to his cost that hives without some arrangement 

 for securing pure honey, whether in large glasses placed on 

 the top or in supers consisting of a crate of sections, is quite 

 worthless. He must, therefore, provide some means of 

 supering in advance, otherwise, his bees for want of addi- 

 tional space will swarm off. In placing crates over the 

 frames we must be careful not to crush the bees. Carefully 

 note that the quilt may be turned back, beginning at either 

 end of the frame, but not parallel with them. As soon as 

 we have a few inches of the quilt free, slide on the crate, 

 making sure to turn back the quilt as we slide the crate ; 

 thus, when the quilt is removed, the crate or super is in 

 exact position, without a single bee hurt or crushed ; but 

 before you are about to perform the operation give the hive a 

 few puffs of smoke. This will prevent their flying about during 

 the operation, which must be as near noonday as possible ; for 

 then the bees will be abroad, foraging in the fields, and you 

 have a less number to deal with than if you went to work at 

 sundown. You can super your hives by placing a new hive 

 over the old one. If you have a hole in the old one, give 

 it a few puffs of smoke and commence a gentle tapping, 

 when all will ascend and work with vigour instead of hang- 

 ing out idly for weeks. If you have not already a hole in 

 the old skep, make one with a sharp knife. The affair 

 requires to be cased round and made air-tight to conserve 

 the heat. People can super their bees when their hives are 

 full of comb, and bees adhering to both sides of the frames. 



Transferring Bees. The bee-keeper's great friend is 

 smoke, as by its use the bees may at any time be terrified 



