TAKING THE HONEY. 109 



effected. Turn up the stock-hive which is to 

 receive the addition to its population, with a 

 bunch of feathers, or a small watering-pan, such 

 as is used for watering flower-beds, drench them 

 with a solution of ale and sugar, or water and 

 sugar made a little warm. Do the same to the 

 expelled bees ; and then placing these last over 

 the stock, mouth to mouth, a smart rap on the top 

 of the hive will drive them down among the bees 

 and combs of the undermost hive. Place this last 

 on its pedestal, and the operation is completed. 

 The strong flavour of the solution will prevent 

 them from distinguishing between friend and 

 stranger ; and their first movement after recover- 

 ing from their panic will be to lick the liquid from 

 one another's bodies. It will be an advantage, 

 though a little additional trouble, to search for 

 and destroy the queen of the expelled bees before 

 the union takes place." 



When the bees have been removed from the 

 hives by one of the above processes, the operation 

 of extracting the honey must commence immedi- 

 ately, while the hive is yet warm. The warmth 



