370 A Modern Bee-Farm 
No intending purchaser should procure Bees or Queens 
without a guarantee that they are free from disease. 
Many disastrous failures have occurred where this 
precaution has been neglected. 
All Stocks, Swarms or Driven Bees should be fed 
upon medicated food for some days after arrival; and 
should certainly be placed in hives previously dressed 
with some well-known powerful antiseptic preparation. 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
BUYING, PACKING, AND MOVING BEES. 
UCH has already been explained as to the best 
St time to buy bees. If possible, they should be 
‘obtained in hives that are in general use, and 
can be adapted to modern management. In most cases 
the seller packs the bees and delivers them to the rail, 
the buyer paying carriage ; but where many hives are 
concerned the buyer will find it greatly to his advantage to 
see them packed and delivered to the railway company. 
Combs Inverted for Travelling. 
Where stocks are sent long distances by rail or otherwise, 
the hive and combs should be inverted, as the combs then 
ride more securely, having their base resting upon the top 
bar of the inverted frame. Tapes may or may not be 
fastened round the frames to enclose the combs more 
s€curely ; but to dispense with this, where I can make my 
own selection, I use combs that are well fastened down the 
side bars of the frame, as well as being strongly wired. 
Shade must be provided in hot weather, with more 
ventilation than at other times. Bees are lost more from 
