GETTING THE BEES.—Chapter V. 
single egg in each cell and is seldom skipping a cell. See that there is 
enough sealed honey in the hive to feed the bees till the opening of the main 
honey flow—enough to fill two full frames in all. If the beginner will be 
sure of these conditions and will get the guarantee of the owner that the 
bees are free from all disease, he will be pretty certain to get good colonies. 
As to the hive itself, unless of modern make and in good condition, it is 
worthless except as a conveyance for carrying the bees to good hives ready 
at his home. 
Moving the Bees Home. 
After buying the bees, and when ready to take them home, go early in 
the afternoon to the apiary while the bees are flying. Nail wire cloth to 
the top of a rim two inches deep, the same size as the top of the hives (in- 
stead of this rim, an empty super may be used, if desired) ; then, removing 
the hive cover, nail or staple this rim or super to the top of the hive-body 
so tight that no 
bees can escape. 
If the hive has 
a loose floor, 
fasten this se- 
eurely to the 
hive by means 
of a large sta- 
ple at each cor- 
ner. Toward 
night, as soon as 
the bees have 
done flying for 
the day and have 
A big load of hives, full of bees, on an auto truck, ready for evans Ee 
: a long trip. : hive, securely 
screen the en- 
trance, thus closing it, and if the weather be hot, screen the entire bottom 
the same as the top. The bees will make an uproar and crowd the screen if 
they get too hot. They should then be sprinkled from the top with cold 
water. If it be chilly weather, the top screen may be partly covered. Load 
the bees on a spring wagon or one having straw in the bottom of the wagon- 
box on which to place the hives, as jarring should be avoided as much as 
possible. An automobile will serve much better. The hives should be so 
loaded that the length of the frames will be in the direction of the jolt. 
Drive home after dark. Place the hives on their permanent location, at once 
open.the entrance, and put on the cover. The sereen on the top of the hive 
should be removed the next day. 
~ Upon first leaving the hive at its new location, the bees fly around and 
around: close to the entrance for a time, gradually increasing their flight 
distance, till they have marked: the location so.certainly that they can re- 
turn directly to it from any- direction or distance. The actions of mature 
bees in marking a new location are the same as those of young bees in their 
marking their location upon first leaving tl.e parent hive. 
If the distance from the place where the bees are purchased to where 
23 
