34 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



the bee keeper intend to break up his oldest hive, (which he might 

 do advantageously,) both his prime swarms ought in this case be pre- 

 served, and to this end they should have been put both of them into the 

 largest hives. But if one of them was put into the smaller hive, with 

 the super added to it, with a view to plunder in the autumn, in this 

 case the old hive may be kept, (unless two hives are considered a full 

 complement for the apiary,) after cutting out of it one or two of the 

 oldest and dirtiest-looking combs. In either case the bees should be 

 preserved, and be given to the neighboring stocks. The plan to be pur- 

 sued is this — and first where the old hive is to be broken up : 



Towards dusk on a calm warm evening, proceed to the apiary, ac- 

 companied by a well-armed assistant, taking with him the following 

 articles : — a good-sized table cloth, a bucket or pail, a low stool, a good 

 length of strong twine, an empty hive of the same diameter as the 

 hive to be operated on, some sulphured feathers and matches, a spade 

 and a couple of stout sticks about a foot long. These are the imple- 

 ments which I have found useful in conducting the process of driving. 



Business is opened by planting the bucket firmly on the ground 

 within a yard or two of the doomed hive, which ought some hours 

 previously to have been broken up from its board, and elevated an 

 inch above it by some sticks thrust underneath it, with a view to force 

 the bees up among the combs by means of the current of air which is 

 thereby admitted across the floor board. The cloth must now be held 

 by the assistant unfolded, in such a manner that, when thrown over 

 the hive, its centre shaU rest on the top of the hive, while the string 

 lies untwisted close by the bucket ready for use. Everything being 

 in readiness thus far, the apiator gently, but quickly, lifts the full hive 

 off its stand, and arranges it bottom upwards in the bucket. The 

 empty hive with equal celerity and care is then lifted over the re- 

 versed stock, and adjusted as accurately as possible to the up-turned 

 base of it, so that the two hives exactly coincide.* On a signal from the 

 chief operator, the assistant quickly throws the cloth over the top of 

 the hive, upon which one of them seizes the string and proceeds to 



* If not equal in diameter, the empty hive may be rather larger, but on no -account 

 smaller, than that of the full hive ; otherwise, ten to one the bees will refuse to ascend, 

 preferring, together with their queen, to adhere obstinately to the intervening ledge. A 

 hive with a few combs will tempt them up readily. 



