162 PLEASUBABLE BEE-KEEPING. 



temperature of the hive ; or they may be united, two 

 or three lots together, to start a new colony. 



Driving. 



If it is decided to remove the bees from a con- 

 demned stock, that is, one marked for taking up, and 

 utilise them in one or other of the ways mentioned 

 above, we must proceed on a fine evening to the stock, 

 drive a puff of smoke into the entrance, and then, in 

 a minute or two, move the hive bodily to another part 

 of the garden away from the hives, so that the opera- 

 tion may be conducted without disturbance from other 

 bees. Before the hive is moved throw over it a piece 

 of canvas, and on the stand place an empty skep to 

 keep the flying bees from entering adjoining stocks. 



On returning to the full stock remove the canvas and 

 drive down the bees among the combs by a slight puff 

 of smoke, while an empty skep is placed above the full 

 stock. Now tie round the junction of the two hives a 

 cloth to prevent the escape of bees. This preparation 

 is for what is termed close driving, and will be adopted 

 by timid bee-keepers, or when a sight of the queens 

 is not necessary, and there is a fear of robbing. The 

 empty hive must be of the same size, with regard to 

 its diameter, as the stock hive, in order to facilitate 

 the escape of bees from the lower to the upper hive. 

 The bees will at once commence to ascend if the 

 combs below are jarred by gently beating the sides 

 of the stock hive with a stick, or with the palms of 

 the hands. In a few minutes all the bees will have 

 left the stock, and will be found clustering in the skep 

 above. 



