PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING 43 



One word about preparing box hives for moving. They 

 should be inverted, the bottom being movable, and wire cloth or 

 cheese cloth tacked over the whole bottom. If there are any other 

 openings these may be covered with wire cloth. 



The box hive to be transferred is inverted and all openings or 

 crevices except at the bottom now become the top closed. The 

 frame hive or simply a box may then be placed over the open bottom 

 and all openings boarded up. Then, by a light, rapid and contin- 

 uous drumming, with a stick on the box hive, at first close to the 

 ground and gradually higher, the bees may be driven into the box 

 or hive on top. A little smoke blown in from the bottom close to 

 the ground will serve to start the bees along a little more rapidly 

 Too much smoke must not be given as this will only confuse the 

 bees and perhaps even start them running back. In a short time the 

 bees will have started as may be known by their loud buzzing. 

 When they are all up, the hive or box may be removed and placed 

 clown upon the stand removing the box hive to a tent or closed room. 



Here, away from any possible interference from robber bees, 

 one may cut out the combs and fit them into frames. This should 

 be done without much delay, as the brood should be restored to the 

 warmth of the colony as soon as the change can be accomplished. 

 To hold the combs in place, which should, of course, be fitted into 

 the frames in their normal position, thin strips of wood may be 

 used. Two of these strips notched at the ends, may be wired to- 

 gether at one end with space enough between to admit the frame 

 and then after the insertion of the frame, with the comb in position, 

 they may be wired above, and so a support for the comb is provided 

 until the bees can fasten the combs in, which will be accomplished 

 in the course of a very few days when the sticks may be removed. 

 The sticks may be cut a little longer than the height of the frames 

 and then placed in a slanting position, so that patched combs can 

 be held in more efficiently. Two or three of these pairs of sticks 

 may be necessary in order to hold the comb in place properly. Care 

 should be taken in cutting the comb to have it fit close to the top- 

 bar and when fiitted in, it should fill the frame so that it will be 

 held closely fitting to the top-bar, and then the bees will secure it 

 well and much quicker. 



Another way of temporarily securing the combs and especially 

 serviceable in the case of small pieces, is to use long, slender wire 



