COMMENCING BEE-KEEPING 



85 



Fig. 67. 



B.1LANCE FOR WEIGHING 



HIVES, UP TO 400 LBS. 



and asphyxiation, is carried, inverted, to its stand in its new 

 home. If now the skep, or box be 

 weighed, and if it be weighed again 

 when empty, and if s.ooo bees be 

 allowed to the pound, the number of 

 bees in the swarm can be fairly 

 accurately calculated. A lot of 

 3 lbs. weight, including say 15,000 

 bees, makes a moderate swarm ; 

 5 lbs., or say 25,000 bees, may be re- 

 garded with very particular satisfac- 

 tion. From 3S. to '33. 6d. per lb. is 

 not too much to pay for an early 

 swarm with a one-year-old queen. 

 Fig. 67 illustrates a cheap and use- 

 ful balance for weighing hives. 



154. Sending Swarms per Post.— 



Swarms, and bees apart from their 

 combs, may be sent cheaply and 

 safely per post. A suitable box is 

 procured, and two webb or canvas 

 bands, 4" or $" deep, are fastened in 

 it parallel with and about 2" from 

 the sides, and at least iV from the top and bottom. This is 

 done by running string or stout wire through holes bored in 

 the ends of the box, and through hems in the canvas bands. 

 Instead of a lid, the box should have a covering of coarse, 

 strong canvas, and, for further ventilation, several small holes 

 should be bored in the bottom and sides. Mr. O'Bryen, from 

 whom the idea comes, has sent bees with perfect safety in this 

 manner. He, however, took the precaution of asking the postal 

 officials to send the box in either a vacant, or a not overcrowded 

 post office basket. 



155. Commencing witli a Stock.— If it be decided to begin 

 by the purchase of an established stock in a skep or frame hive, 

 steps should be taken to ascertain exactly the condition of the 

 colony and of the skep or hive. If the vendor can show a clean 

 bill of health ; if the queen be vigorous ; the combs even, and 

 well supplied with brood, and not too old ; and if the skep or 

 hive be in good condition, a bargain may be made. 



156. Moving StOCltS The transport of a stock to a new 



apiary requires some care. Among other considerations, the 

 question of distance must be taken into account. It has 

 already been explained that bees will fly a distance of two miles 

 in search of food, and will return again to the place from which 

 they started (35). But if their hive be moved more than a 



