STOCKING THE APIARY. 283 



large knife for cutting out the combs; vessels for the 

 honey; a table or board, on which to lay the brood- 

 combs ; cotton-twine or tape, for fastening them into the 

 frames ; and water for washing off, from time to time, the 

 honey which will stick to your hands. Having selected 

 the working combs, carefully cut them rather large, so 

 that they will just crowd into the frames, and retain their 

 places in their "natural position until the bees have tune to 

 fasten them. It will be well to wind some twine or tape, 

 which should be subsequently removed, around the upper 

 and lower slats of the frames, as an additional security. 

 Small pieces of empty comb may be fastened with melted 

 wax and resin (p. 72).* 



When the hive is thus prepared, the bees may be put 

 into it and confined, water being given to them, until they 

 have time to make all secure against robbers. 



When the weather is cool, the transfer should be made 

 in a warm room, to prevent the brood from being fatally 

 chilled. An expert Apiarian can easily complete the whole 

 operation from the driving of the bees to the returning 

 of them to their new hive in about half an hour, and with 

 the loss of very few bees, old or young. The best time 

 for transferring bees is about ten days after a swarm has 

 issued or been forced from the old hive. The brood will 

 then be sealed over, and able to bear considerable ex- 

 posure. 



Until the feasibility of transferring bees by movable 

 frames had been thoroughly tested, I felt irreconcilably 



* The Eev. Lev! Wheaton prefers to use combs for guides, and confines them by 

 a thin strip of wood sprung between the uprights of the frames, so as to press against 

 the lower edges of the combs. 



Mr. Wm. W. Gary, in transferring, uses strips three-eighths of an inch wide and 

 one-eighth thick, cut from any springy wood, and half an inch longer than the depth 

 of the frames. He fastens them together in pairs, with strings which keep them 

 just far enough apart to pass over the tops and bottoms of the frames. Two pairs 

 will be needed for each frame, and they must be removed after the combs are 

 firmly secured by the bees, which will be done in two or three days. 



