g6 THE BOOK OF THE HONEY BEE 



with good large loops so as to be able to grip them 

 well. It is well to be provided with half-a-dozen of 

 these as they are exceedingly liable to lose themselves 

 at critical moments. 



The remainder of the outfit should comprise the 

 smoker, together with plenty of fuel, veil, gauntlets, 

 a bottle of thin, warm syrup, one or two empty skeps to 

 contain the driven bees, with squares of cheese cloth 

 large enough to tie the four corners over the top of the 

 skep. These latter, if folded and wrapped round the 

 syrup bottle, will keep it warm for hours. Always 



DRIVING IRONS AND SKEWER 



make a point of taking with you everything you are at 

 all likely to require, and never rely on getting at your 

 destination, even brown paper for the smoker. A fine, 

 warm afternoon, when the bees are freely flying, is 

 generally supposed to be the best time for driving. 



Should the hives composing the cottager's apiary be 

 very close together, and should the bees appear at all 

 excitable, it is a good plan, before commencing opera- 

 tions, to close the entrance of all the hives with grass 

 pushed in lengthways (excepting, of course, the hive 

 selected for driving) so as to imprison the bees without 

 depriving them of air. Next blow a little smoke into 

 the hive about to be operated upon, and in a few seconds 

 give a few slaps with the flat hand around the hive. 

 This so startles the bees that they manifest no dis- 

 position to sting. After a second pufFor two of smoke 



