170 TAKING HONEY. 



operation be completed. But if the upper story 

 be taken, it will be obvious that either an empty 

 box or a top board must be placed over the stock. 

 If this method of deprivation should fail of 

 success, some other course must be pursued. MR. 

 ISAAC'S plan promises well. After removing the 

 box from the stock, he used to confine his bees in 

 it, till their anger and agitation had rendered their 

 prison so hot and uncomfortable, and probably so 

 unwholesome, by the deterioration of the air, that 

 they were glad of an opportunity to quit it, which 

 he soon afforded them. Unscrewing the top of 

 his box, and introducing a divider underneath it, 

 he placed an empty box over the full one, and 

 opened a communication between the two, by 

 withdrawing the divider. At the same time he 

 gave an additional impulse to the ascent of the 

 bees by drumming smartly upon the sides of the 

 full box. When the bees were entirely or nearly 

 gone, he took out either the whole of the combs 

 or such as contained honey without brood, pro- 

 ceeding according to the directions given in page 

 163. There is another resource, in the method 

 uniformly practised by MR. KEYS, viz. that of 

 fuming, which is effected by placing an empty box 

 over the full one, in the manner described above, 

 and expelling the bees with the smoke of burning 

 puff balls, probably that of woollen rags would 

 answer as well, though Mr. Keys relies upon the 



