STARTING AN APIARY. 301 



porary hive which was propped up, when the bees were put 

 into it, may be shut close to its bottom-board, and a few 

 screws put into the upper projection of the clamps, so as to 

 run through into the ends of the box. In such a box, bees 

 may be safely transported, almost any reasonable distance : 

 care being taken not to handle them roughly, and never to 

 keep them in the sun, or in any place where they have not 

 sufficient air. If the box is too small, or sufficient ventila- 

 tors are not put in, or if the bees are exposed to too much 

 heat, they will be sure to suffijcate. If the swarm is unusu- 

 ally large, and the weather excessively warm, they ought to 

 be moved at night. Unless great care is taken in moving 

 bees, in very liot weather, they will be almost sure to per- 

 ish : therefore always be certain that they have an abund- 

 ance of air. If they appear to be suffering for want of it, 

 especially if they begin to fall down from the cluster, and 

 to lie in heaps on the bottom-board, they should iinmediately 

 be carried into a field or any convenient place, and at once 

 be allowed to fly : in such a case they cannot be safely 

 moved again, until towards night. This will never be'neces- 

 sary if the box is large enough, and suitably ventilated. 



I have frequently made a box for transporting new 

 swarms, out of an old tea-chest. When a new swarm is 

 brought in this way to its intended home, the bottom-board 

 may be unscrewed, and the bees transferred at once, to the 

 new hive ; (See p. 168.) In some cases, it may be advi- 

 sable to send away the new hive. In this case, if one of 

 my hives is used, the spare honey-board should be screwed 

 down, and all the holes carefully stopped, except two or 

 three which ought to have some ventilators tacked over 

 them : the frames should be fastened with a little paste, so 

 that they will not start from their place, and after the bees 

 are hived, the blocks which close the entrance should be 

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