TRANSPORTING BEES. 167 



ever a hive is closed up to keep in the bees, natural 

 ventilation comes to an end, and moreover, the commotion 

 of the bees caused by the first and continued motion of 

 the hive increases its internal heat. The bees of hun- 

 dreds and thousands of hives are suffocated in being 

 removed to the moors. Young gardeners generally steam 

 or stew to death their first plants of cucumbers, and young 

 bee-keepers often destroy one or more hives in their first 

 effort to transport their bees. In rainy seasons and cold 

 winters, weak hives suffer most, but in being transported 

 from place to place they suffer least. When suffocation 

 takes place, it is almost always in one of the best hives. 



In considering this subject, the value of cross-sticks in 

 each hive to support its combs will be seen : indeed they 

 are indispensable, for if combs are not supported and kept 

 steady by these cross-sticks they are easily shaken down. 

 Sticks are otherwise of great advantage in hives, being 

 used as by-lanes by bees in going from comb to comb. 



There are various ways of saving bees from suffoca- 

 tion in removing them. The admission of plenty of fresh 

 air into their hives is the secret of success. By admitting 

 air enough, and confining the bees to their hives, we can 

 safely transmit them by cart or waggon or rail, one hun- 

 dred miles, or five hundred miles if need be. 



Our mode of confining bees for removal from one place 

 to another is as simple as it is safe, The doors of our 

 hives are pretty large, and the holes in their crown are 

 also large, some four and some five inches in diameter. 

 We naU a piece of fly-proof wire over their mouths and 

 crown-holes, then tie the hives tightly to their boards 

 with strong string or cord, and sometimes drive three two- 

 inch nails through the bottom rolls of the hives into the 

 boards. They are thus prepared to bear pretty rough 

 handhng. The fly-proof wire at the doors and on the 



