50 The Townsend Bee Book 
three robber-cloths. The last named are nothing more nor less 
than cloths two or three inches larger than the top of a hive with 
sticks nailed on each long side. One of these cloths is laid over 
the hive after the cover is removed, to keep out the robbers; and 
as it is quickly rolled up far enough to take out a frame, and then 
rolled back, the whole top of the hive is never exposed at one time. 
The cleats for the two long sides of the cloth are made of pieces 
of lath 20 inches long. One edge of the cloth is wrapped entirely 
around one of the pieces, when a second one is laid on top of the 
wrapped lath, and nailed. The cloth now comes out between the 
two pieces of lath, and is thus firmly secured. Two more pieces 
are nailed on the other side of the cloth, which makes it complete. 
The sticks must, of course, be on the long side of the cloth rather 
than on the ends, so that they will be parallel with the top-bars. 
In this way it is very easy to roll the cloth back just far enough 
to lift out a frame. 
In removing the honey from the hives the row furthest from 
the extracting-house should be begun on first, so that it will not 
be necessary to work at any time in front of the disturbed colonies ; 
for if the work is done when there is no honey coming in from the 
field, robbers are always troublesome. Place the wheelbarrow 
back of the hive and put one of the empty hive-bodies on it length- 
wise so the frames may hang parallel with the barrow to prevent 
unnecessary swinging and shaking. The other hive-body should 
be placed at one side of the colony, leaving a space between for 
the operator. When the hive is to be opened, the smoker should 
be working well; and as soon as the cover is removed the bees 
should be given a gentle puff of smoke. If too much is given, bees 
become demoralized, some flying out and others running across 
the combs, so that the results are not at all satisfactory. There 
should be no smoke blown down between the combs, therefore, 
until most of the bees have run off the top-bars of the frames, and 
started down toward the lower part. When bees are once started 
properly, there is no trouble in keeping them going, especially if 
the honey is all capped (as it should be), for the idea is to keep 
the bees ahead of the smoke as much as possible. When about 
three-fourths or more of the bees are smoked out of the upper 
story this should be quickly lifted off and set on the empty body 
that has been placed near by for the purpose. It is important to 
be quick about this, so that none of the bees may have time to run 
back. If there are more stories to be taken off, repeat the whole 
operation, setting additional stories on top of the one first re- 
moved. When the first story is taken off, quickly cover one of the 
