Bee-Keeping Simplified 29 
IX.—DRIVING. 
Owing to the decadence of the skep system of bee-keeping, 
driving is practically a thing of the past. Its object is to 
get the bees out of the skep or box without killing them. 
It is done in the autumn; and three or four lots of bees 
joined together—(see Uniting)—hived upon combs already 
built in frames, and fed with cane sugar syrup—(see Feeding)— 
until they have stored sufficient to maintain them during 
the winter; they will commence work as a stock the following 
vear. 
Driving should be carried out towards evening to avoid 
robbing. Subdue the bees as already described, then turn the 
skep or box upside down, taking care to turn it with the 
combs edgewise, or they may break off. Place it on a table. 
To keep a dome-topped skep level it will be necessary to stand 
it in a bucket, which is weighted and made to stand firm by 
being half filled with water. 
An empty skep or box is now fixed on to it in the position 
of a box lid half open; the two edges are fastened together 
by pushing a three-inch nail right through the top onc 
into the bottom one at the joint, taking care to make the 
junction of the two skeps or boxes at right angles to the 
combs, so that a direct clear passage is left for the bees when 
they commence to go up. 
Driving irons are used on either side. They are made of 
iron wire, with one and a half inches turned at right angles 
at either end, or a couple of pieces of wood, with a two-inch 
nail driven through either end, will do. The driving irons 
are fixed with one projecting end or nail driven into each 
skep or box, Fig. 42. 
The chink on either side of the joint is stopped by tying 
a cloth to one driving iron, pulling it tightly round the back, 
and tying it to the other one as seen in the illustration. 
All that is then necessary is to beat with the hands upon 
the full skep or box. This should be done on the sides to 
which the ends of combs are attached, as illustrated, and not 
on the sides to which they run parallel, or the combs will 
break. By turning the skep or box upside down an uphill 
position is provided, up which the bees travel quickly, more 
especially as they are further frightened by the vibration 
caused by drumming with the hands. 
If preferred, close driving may be practised; the operation 
is the same, except that the empty skep or box is shut close 
