20 A YEAR'S WORK IN AN OUT-APIARY 



ward motion, toss these ends against the ball of the hands at the base 

 of the thumb, and at just the instant the ends of the frame strike the 

 ball of the hands give the hands a quick downward motion. This takes 

 the bee off its guard, as it is holding on to keep from falling off the comb 

 downward, having no idea that there is any danger from falling off up- 

 ward. But this "falling upward" is exactly what it does, as three-fourths 

 the bees, when I shake the combs, are tossed up in the air as they are 

 dislodged. The instant the ends of the frame strike the fingers again, 

 toss it up against the ball a second time, and then back to the fingers, 

 when, if you get the "hang" of the matter, as you will after a few trials, 

 you will find that 990 out of every 1,000 bees are off the comb; and if you 

 have that proportion off you will have no need of the brush, for it Is not 

 necessary to get each and every bee off the combs of brood. Only ten to 

 fifteen bees left on each comb will be but from 100 to 150 bees for the 

 whole, which will make little difference with the swarm. However, I 

 like to get as many as is consistent with quick work, with the shook 

 colony, for the more bees there are here the better results in honey. 

 Then, I wish to say that there are times when thin nectar is coming in 

 bountifully, when I can not shake all the bees off thus, or by any other 

 plan; for if I do the bees will be so nearly drowned in this thin nectar 

 which shaken out of the combs that they will not go in the hive. During 

 such a flow of nectar I shake the combs the same way, only do it so 

 gently that no nectar is shaken out, when the bees which still hold to the 

 combs must be brushed off. I have always declared it a nuisance to have 

 thin nectar coming in at a time when I am obliged to free combs from 

 bees, but have always been consoled by the thought that this thin nectar 

 Is what is to be turned into cash by and by, when the bees have it 

 evaporated into nice honey, so enjoyable to the consumer later on. 

 Where I am obliged to use a brush I greatly prefer the "Dixie," as sold 

 by The A. I. Root Company, to any other I have ever tried, and I have 

 used all which have been advertised, and many besides, which have been 

 sent me for my approval and recommendation. This brush is soft, so 

 that it does not injure the bees, and yet Is firm enough to take all the 

 bees off one side of the comb with only one stroke over the same. In the 

 absence of any brush, through oversight or something of the kind, a 

 bunch of five or six tops of goldenrod, or even of grass, will do very 

 well — in fact, better than some of the brushes which have been sent 

 me. 



As the hive into which this "shook" colony is to go is really their 

 own home, and contains more than an abundance of honey, this plan 

 does entirely away with all the labor and time used in drumming and 

 pounding the hives, as well as waiting for the bees to fill themselves 

 with honey — something which has been considered as a thing of vital 

 importance with all of the other plans of "shook swarming." Nothing 

 of the kind is required to make the swarm stay, or for any other pur- 

 pose, for the bees are still on their own combs, with sufficient brood, and 

 room enough for the queen to lay right along. All of this, together with 



