49 



o'clock in the afternoon. The day before swarming, they 

 often forsake the hive and hang out in a mass upon the 

 sides or bottom of the hive. Do not be in too great a 

 hurry to secure them after they alight, go to work steadily, 

 there will be plenty of time. Place a table under the 

 limb on which they have alighted, spread over it a clean, 

 white cloth, a sheet or table-cloth will answer the purpose 

 well. Place upon this a couple of pieces of slit-work, 

 about ten inches apart, upon which to elevate the hive. 

 Now take firmly hold of the limb while an assistant saws 

 it cleanly oft*. Place it with gentleness upon the table be- 

 tween the two billets of wood and put the hive over them. 

 Now cover the hive with a second sheet and then leave 

 them ; they will soon go up into the hive. It is well to 

 rub the inside of the hive with salted water or green wal- 

 nut leaves, before hiving the bees. They take to it sooner, 

 and more kindly. At nightfall place the hive with much 

 gentleness where it is to remain during the summer. The 

 drawers should be closed in the new hive until the lower 

 department is filled. The hives should not stand out of 

 doors during the winter season in these latitudes. They 

 should be removed into a warm, dry, unoccupied out- 

 house or kitchen cellar, away from the wind and winter 

 storms. When the spring opens, and the first flowers 

 begin to appear, or even in sugaring time, when they can 

 have access to the sap of the sugar-maple, place them 

 as:ain in the bee-house. 



HUNTING WILD BEES. 



I approach a subject upon which I have never seen any- 

 thing; written. It is well known that our forests are the 

 homes of many swarms of wild bees. They go off from 

 the domesticated colonies, and seek refuge in the hollow 

 of some good old tree, and there deposit their honey. It 

 requires some experience and skill to hunt wild bees with 

 success. The outfit for bee-hunting is a bee-box, prop- 

 erly constructed with comb and honey, slightly scented 



