HIVES. 65 



The first super must never be quite completed before 

 the second is placed between it and the brood-chamber, 

 otherwise preparations for swarming will be com- 

 menced. 



Bemoving supers. These supers may be cleared of 

 bees by placing them on the box-clearer or by raising 

 the super to be removed and placing under it a cloth 

 to sever the connection between it and the lower super 

 or the brood-chamber, if only one super is on the 

 hive. See Chapter XI. 



When the super is raised, one or two of the combs 

 may occasionally be found attached to the bars below ; 

 and the force exerted in raising the super will cause a 

 piece of comb to be broken off. Should this happen, 

 puff a Uttle smoke under the super or place it over a 

 board that has been slightly sprinkled with dilute 

 carboKc acid. The fumes of the acid will keep the 

 bees in the super while the pieces of comb are being 

 removed from the bars of the brood-chamber with a 

 knife or spatula. The dripping honey and comb should 

 be put along with the knife into a can provided with a 

 lid, so that robbing is not induced while the cloth is 

 being spread and the super returned. Tlie bees in the 

 super, finding themselves cut off from the brood- 

 chamber, will be in great commotion, and glad to 

 escape by the perforated zinc cone placed in the 

 roof. 



When free of bees the super may be removed to the 

 house and then tilted up to allow of the comb attach- 

 ments being severed with a knife. The bars may be 

 lifted out with the combs attached, then holding a bar 

 by one end pass a sharp knife downwards close to the 



S 



