Transferring without Drumming. 161 



inquiry, this gentleman said it paid well to bore such holes in 

 all his frames, which are eleven by sixteen inches, inside 

 measure. I discarded such frames because of the liability of 

 the comb to fall out. 



Having fastened all the nice worker comb into the frames 

 — of course all other comb will be melted into wax — we place 

 all the frames containing brood together in the centre of our 

 new hive, especially if the colony is weak, or the weather cool, 

 and confine the space by use of the division board, adding the 

 other frames as the bees may need them. We now place our 

 new hive on the stand, pushing it forward so that the bees can 

 enter anywhere along the alighting board, and then shake all 

 the bees from the box, and any young bees that may have 

 clustered on any part of the old hive, or on the floor, or ground, 

 where we transferred the comb, immediately in front. They 

 will enter at once and soon be at work, all the busier for hav- 

 ing passed "from the old house into the new." In two or 

 three days, remove the wires, or strings and sticks, when we 

 shall find the combs all fastened and smoothed off, and the 

 bees as busily engaged as though their present home had always 

 been the seat of their labors. 



In practicing this method, many proceed at once to transfer 

 without drumming out the bees. In this case the bees should 

 be well smoked, should be driven away from the side of the 

 old hive where the combs are being cut loose, by use of the 

 smoker, and may be brushed direct from the old combs into 

 the new hive. This method will be preferred by the ex- 

 perienced, though I think the beginner will find it more easy 

 and pleasant to first drum out all the bees before he commences 

 to cut out the combs. 



Of course, in transferring from one frame to another, the 

 matter is much simplified. In this case, after thoroughly- 

 smoking the bees, we have but to lift the frames and shake or 

 brush the bees into the new hive. For a brush, a chicken or 

 turkey wing, a large wing or tail feather from a turkey, goose, 

 or peacock, or a twig of pine or bunch of asparagus twigs, 

 serves admirably. Now cut out the comb in the best form to 

 accommodate the new frames, and fasten as already suggested. 

 After the combs are all transferr,ed, shake all remaining beea 

 in front of the new hive, which has already been placed on 

 the stand previously occupied by the old hive, 



11 



