138 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



clod, or big weed in a garden. It is wise to have some 

 bushes near an apiary managed on the swarming system ; 

 for swarms can he easily hived from branches that bend. 

 I need not take up time or space in describing how 

 swarms should be hived, for everybody with a little 

 courage can do this. 



Hiving is generally done by holding the hive prepared 

 for the swarm underneath it and then giving the branch 

 on which it hangs a sudden shake or jerk, when' all the 

 bees lose their hold of the branch and fall into the hive. 

 The hive is set on the ground with its crown downwards, 

 and mouth and swarm exposed. The board is instantly 

 placed on and over the whole, just giving the bees time 

 to gather their feet and get hold of the sides of the hive 

 (about half a minute) before it is inverted into its pro- 

 epr position. Let it stand for a few minutes to gather in 

 all the bees that have not been hived — the noise inside 

 will speedily attract them — and then let the hive be placed 

 where it is to remain. When a swarm goes into the 

 centre of a thick hedge, or settles on a stone or wood 

 fence, the hive is placed over it, so that the bees can 

 easily go into it. "When it settles on the trunk of a tree 

 the hive is tied on above it ; and when it settles on a 

 top branch far from the ground, the branch is gently cut 

 and let down. 



Nothing should be put in hives intended for swarms 

 but cross-sticks and guide-combs. Ignorant people often 

 wet their insides with sugared ale, or sugar-and-water, a 

 most foolish practice. 



Another foolish practice, and a widespread one, is to 

 make a great effort to induce swarms to settle by drum- 

 ming on kettles and frying-pans, thus producing artificial 

 thunder, with a view to frighten the bees from all idea of 

 flying away. Sand and soil are thrown, up amongst the 



