EXAMINING HIVES. 



•■2:f 



better to have a piece of wood turned as in Fig. 27. The hole in this 

 at the smaller end may be diiUed larger than a pipe bore, while into ihi 



Fie. 27. Smoeeb. 



base of the part we may call the bowl a piece of perforated zinc being' 

 fitted, the tobacco will not drive its way into the opening and close it. Old 

 rag, fustian, or even brown 

 paper rolled up into the 

 form of .a torch will 

 smoulder and furnish a 

 supply of smoke for hours, 

 but these torches, except 

 for prolonged operations, 

 are not so convenient as 

 the apparatus described, 

 or the little bellows-form 

 introduced by the Eev. 

 H. Bligh, while the bees 

 are likely to fly at them 

 and perish miserably. The 

 sound and sight of singeing 

 wings and writhing bum 

 ing legs are not such as 

 most bee-keepera could 

 complacently endure. With 

 this latter source of smoke, 

 too, it is often impossible 

 to drive the terrifying 

 cloud into the exact spot 

 needed. Very rotten wood 

 where obtainable may re- 

 place the rag or paper. 



Duly equipped, we may 

 now proceed to make an 

 examination of a hive 

 which, if of the old type in straw we already see how to attack. Blow 

 into the entrance two or three pufEs, wait two or three seconds, duriLg 



