DRIVING BEES 99 



is a set of driving irons, and some skeps, linen 

 bags, or boxes for the reception of the bees: 



Gently, smoke the skep to be driven, and turn 

 it upon its crown, afterwards attaching an empty 

 skep upon it as given below. The skeps are 

 pinned together with the short iron, the others 

 being used td support the sides. The point of 

 junction, which forms the bridge by which the 

 bees will reach the top skep, must be at the end 

 of the central comb. This is a most important 

 feature. The combs must run away from the 

 operator, not across him from left to right, or 

 there will be trouble. Place the skeps so that 

 the strongest light comes from behind the oper- 

 ator, and then commence to steadily beat the sides 

 of the bottom skep with the open hands. Soon 

 the bees will begin to ascend, and in a few minutes 

 the skep containing the combs will be clear, after 

 which the irons may be removed and the bees 

 shaken into a box or bag, leaving the empty skep 

 ready for the next lot. If the bees instead pf 

 ascending show a disposition to boil over the sides 

 of the skep, they must be checked with the smoker 

 and induced to take the right direction. 



These bees are useful either for the strengthen- 

 ing of weaklings or for the forming of new 

 colonies. In the latter case about six pounds of 

 bees will be needed, or roughly the contents of 

 two or three skeps. If necessary two or three lots 

 of bees may be placed in the same box at the 

 time of driving, first removing any queens which 



