COMMENCING BEE-KEEPING. 107 



when it is turned mouth upwards give it a sharp 

 bump on the lower side of the skep, and before the 

 bees recover, roll them into the box, give the skep a 

 sharp clap on the sides with the palms of the hands, 

 and then lift up the hd and place it on the box, cany- 

 ing it a little distance away to put in the screws. If 

 this operation is performed as directed in the evening, 

 just when the bees have begun to settle down, say 

 about seven o'clock, all but perhaps a dozen or two 

 wtU in less then half a minute have been safely 

 fastened in the swarm box. If any bees drop over 

 the side of the box, leave them, but look carefully 

 round to see if the queen is among them ; if she is, at 

 once carry her on a piece of paper or something else 

 along with a few bees to the swarm box. To get her 

 in without allowing the bees to escape unscrew the 

 Ud, give the box a shake to throw the bees to the 

 bottom, draw the lid a httle to one side, and drop in 

 the queen. 



Swarms may also be sent in good-sized skeps with 

 a square of canvas at the top and another at the 

 bottom for ventilation. Two or three wisps of straw 

 or balls of paper should be tied underneath the skep 

 to keep the bottom off the ground and thus ensure a 

 current of air passing through the skep. 



To pack stocks in skeps proceed as foUows : Pro- 

 cure a cheese box if of sufiScient diameter ; if not, any 

 Ught square box will do, and with a piece of thick 

 string make a handle on each side near the top ; put 

 into the bottom a good layer of straw, or roU pieces 

 of newspaper into balls and cover the bottom with 

 them, as a buffer must be provided to protect the 



