THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 251 
which they may be used for hiving swarms or for the storage of honey 
for extracting. Also the old combs with brood and stores is some- 
times cut out and fitted into frames as above described, at the time of 
the first transferring, instead of setting the old box hive away for 21 
days. These frames are then set in the new hive, the bees are shaken 
in and the transferring is completed at one operation. It is believed 
that the first described method will prove most satisfactory. 
The opening of fruit bloom in the spring is the best time of the year 
for transferring, although it can be done at any time that nectar 
is being gathered. It can even be done when there is nothing coming 
in from the field, provided the bees are fed daily after transferring. 
It is best to select a warm, bright day when the bees are flying freely 
as they can be much more easily handled then. On cool, cloudy days 
and early and late in the day, bees are usually much more difficult to 
handle, and are more inclined to sting. 
The bees in the new hive should be examined from time to time to 
determine progress made in comb-building, and in the laying of eggs 
and rearing of brood. 
One should learn from the first how to open a hive and examine 
frames without unduly exciting the bees. Always stand at one side, 
out of the line of flight of the bees, (never in front of the hive). First 
use the smoker at the entrance, then quietly remove the cover, so that 
it does not come away with a jar. As the cover is lifted, gently blow 
some smoke over the tops of the frames, after which they can be re- 
/ & A 
Fig. 13.—Handling frame 1st position. 
moved one at a time. If at any time the bees show an inclination to 
sting while the colony is being manipulated, more smoke may be blown 
down between the frames. In examining frames, always hold the comb 
in a vertical position, otherwise it is apt to be broken from its attach- 
ments owing to the weight of honey and brood. As the frame is lifted 
from the hive by the ends of the top bar, one side will be exposed to 
view. To observe the opposite side, lift the frame as shown by the 
illustration, until the long instead of the short axis is perpendicular, 
(fig. 13.) and rotate the frame as a dgor is swung on its hinges, using 
the top bar as the axis (fig. 14.) The frame can then be lowered 
with the top bar below, (fig. 15.) This whole manipulation is easily 
acquired and if the precaution above mentioned of preserving the face 
of the comb perpendicular instead of flat wise to the ground is observed, 
no danger of the comb breaking in the middle will result. As the 
frames are being removed from the hive, the first one or two can be 
