198 A Modern Bee-Farm 
Feed in Unfavorable Weather. 
It is very necessary that swarms should be fed if no 
honey is coming in, so that the foundation may be quickly 
drawn out as complete combs well filled with brood, thus 
securing a good supply of young bees before the adults 
are much reduced in numbers. ' 
Best Time to Transfer. 
Where one has straw skeps he will desire to transfer his 
bees to the frame hive. This can be done in April to 
great advantage, as it is just then that the stimulation 
does most good, and excites the bees to extend the brood 
nest. 
The bees are first to be removed from the skep by 
either of the methods before mentioned (Chap. II.), when 
the best combs are to be cut to the right size to fit 
exactly tight into the bar-frame; all edges being cut quite 
true so that they fit together well, and can be more 
readily secured by the bees. Tie two or three pieces of 
d-inch tape round the frames to keep all in place, and 
return the combs to the bees, which may first be shot into. 
the bar-frame hive. They will soon draw among the 
newly-transferred combs and clean up their house, where, 
after a day or two, one will hardly tell where the joints 
were. Close up with division boards, cover up warm, and 
keep the entrance not more than one inch wide until it is 
absolutely necessary to make it larger. The patches of 
brood must be arranged so that the larger are at the 
centre, and the smaller graduating to either side, thus 
securing greater protection. Should the bees appear 
crowded with only the combs transferred, give a frame 
of foundation in the centre, and another as soon as they 
begin to cluster on the outside of the division board. 
