52 THE BOOK OF THE HONEY BEE 



may be gently cut away and the swarm carried to the 

 hive it is to occupy as its future home. 



Having secured the swarm in the skep it should 

 next be "run in" to its permanent home in the 

 manner previously described. 



Special difficulties will be encountered from time to 

 time. Sometimes a swarm will elect to settle on an old 

 espalier tree nailed firmly to a wall, the branches of 

 which cannot possibly be shaken. In such case the 

 hiving skep may be fixed over the swarm, mouth 

 downwards, of course, and kept in position by resting 

 it on pointed sticks, the prongs of an inverted garden 

 fork, or other suitable means. Cover the whole with 

 an old coat or rug or anything handy, when usually, 

 after a short while, the bees will begin to ascend and 

 take possession of the skep. They may be further 

 urged to do so by fixing a small piece of comb in the 

 skep, together with an occasional upward puff or two 

 of smoke from the smoker. 



In the absence of a straw skep, an empty pail, wooden 

 box, or any other handy receptacle may be used into 

 which to shake the bees. Carefully shade the hiving 

 skep after the bees have been shaken in. 



Another method of stocking a hive is by purchasing 

 a colony of bees from a dealer of repute, who ought to 

 guarantee that the bees are free from foul brood, that 

 dread disease so feared by all bee-keepers. 



