24 The Townsend Bee Book 
calfe hives if they stood on end. In other words, the top-bars 
were shorter than the end-bars. The combs were fairly straight 
in the frames so that they were much easier to transfer than if 
they had been built in box hives, or crisscross, as they sometimes 
are in frame hives if no starters are provided at the top of the 
frames for guides. When ready to transfer a table should be 
secured, preferably in a honey-house away from robber bees. A 
bottom-board should be in readiness also to lay the combs on that 
are to be transferred to new frames. Blow a little smoke into 
the entrance of the hive to be transferred, and remove the cover, 
giving a little smoke also over the tops of the frames. As the 
work progresses, there is apt to be more or less jarring of the 
hive, and more smoke will be needed, so the smoker should be 
kept in good condition and in a convenient place where it can be 
had at a moment’s notice. 
As it is a frame hive that is being transferred, pry the frames 
apart so that the first comb may be easily removed, and then shake 
most of the bees from it in front of the hive, brushing off, with a 
Coggshall bee-brush, the few that remain. In the case of box hives 
it is usually necessary to pry off one side of the hive and then cut 
out the combs to be transferred. Since the combs are not usually 
attached to the bottom of a box hive it is well to turn it upside 
down and remove the bottom-board. Then with a long knife cut 
the combs loose from one side of the hive and remove that side. 
When the combs are built in cornerwise I remove two sides of the 
box so that they can be taken out easily. 
When the combs are free from bees, place them, one at a time, 
on the board in the honey-house and lay the new frame on top of 
it in order to get the exact size. A thin case-knife is the best tool 
for trimming the combs. They should be cut just a little larger 
than the inside of the frames so that they can be crowded in. The 
frame containing the comb may then be turned on edge by tilting 
up the board (frame and all) to keep the comb from falling out 
until the frame is vertical. Then wrap comb and frame with fine 
wire ; and when the bees have the comb well fastened in the frame, 
some time afterward, this wire may be cut along the top-bar and 
pulled out without removing any of the frames. 
As soon as one new frame is filled with old comb it is placed 
in the new hive, which should now stand where the old one did, 
the old hive being moved a rod or so to one side. From this time 
on, all of the bees should be brushed into the new hive; and when 
all the combs are transferred, the bees that are left in the old hive 
can be dumped before the entrance of the new one. One will 
