168 THE BEE keeper's MANUAL. 



begin to work in a few hours (or in less time, if they have 

 empty comb,) and many more may be lost by returning next 

 day to the place where they were hived, than would be lost, 

 by removing them as soon as they have entered ; in this latter 

 case, the few that are on the wing, will generally be able, to 

 find the hive if it is slowly moved to its permanent stand. 



If the Apiarian wishes to secure the queen, the bees 

 should be shaken from the hiving basket, about a foot from 

 the entrance to the hive, and if a careful look-out is kept, 

 she will generally be seen as she passes over the sheet, to the 

 entrance. Care must be taken to brush the bees back from 

 the entrance when they press forward in such dense masses 

 that the queen is likely to enter unnoticed. An experienced 

 eye readily catches a glance of her peculiar form and color. 

 She may be taken up without danger, as she never stings, 

 unless engaged in combat with another queen. As it will 

 sometimes happen, even to careful bee-keepers, that swarms 

 will come off when no suitable hives are in readiness to 

 receive them, I shall show what may be done in such an 

 emergency. Take any old hive, box, cask, or measure, and 

 hive the bees in it, placing Ihem with suitable protection 

 against the sun, where their new hive is to stand ; when this 

 is ready, they may, by a quick jerking motion, be easily 

 shaken out on a sheet, and hived in it, just as though they 

 were shaken from the hiving basket. If they are to remain 

 in the temporary hive over the second day, they ought to be 

 shaken out on a sheet, and after their comb is taken from 

 them, allowed to enter it again, or else there will be danger 

 of crushing the queen by the weight of the comb. 



I have endeavored, even at the risk of being tedious, to 

 give such specific directions as will qualify the novice to 

 hive a swarm of bees, under almost any circumstances ; 

 for I know the necessity of such directions and how seldom 



