TRANSFERRING BEES. 123 



them to fill themselves with honey from the cells of 

 the hive, as a bee gorged with honey will never 

 volunteer an attack for the purpose of stinging. 

 The bees are now ready to be transferred. You 

 will need some one to assist you, and it will be 

 necessary for you to put on your articles of protec- 

 tion, and keep your smoker in readiness for use, as 

 occasionally a swarm is hard to subdue, though the 

 great majority of them are perfectly docile after the 

 treatment recommended. But we are to "beard 

 the lion in his den," and to be forewarned is to be 

 forearmed. 



The bees usuall}' manifest their submission by a 

 loud humming noise. If after you commence op- 

 erations (before you get the side of the hive off) 

 they show a disposition to be cross, replace the bot- 

 tom board, close the entrances, if open, and give 

 the insects a good smoking, at the entrances, and by 

 raising the botttom board enough to introduce the 

 smoke ; give them the smoke freely for several 

 minutes. Then again remove the bottom board. 

 (These directions apply to the common box hive. 

 If hives of a different pattern are operated upon, 

 vary the operation to conform to the requirements 

 of the case, applying the same principles.) Then 

 with a chisel and hammer remove one side of the 

 hive (the side to which the bees have attached the 

 least comb,) and with a thin, sharp table-knife, cut 

 the edges of the comb from the sides of the hive. 

 It is well. to have a table or stand near by, with a 

 cloth folded in several thicknesses, on which to lay 

 the sheets of comb with the bees adhering, if neces- 



