80 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



in the new box appear to advance with much rapidity, as soon as it 

 appears half full of comb, (but not before,) a glass may be opened to 

 the bees over the main box, in which they will store a good deal of 

 honey for the bee master's own use. 



The method of removing such a glass when full, .being somewhat 

 different to the plan pursued under the cottage system, I proceed to 

 explain. It must first be broken up from its hold-fasts of propolis, 

 which glue it firmly to the top of the hive. The instrument employ- 

 ed for this purpose, be it knife or spatula, may also be passed right 

 under the glass, so as to sever the comb from its attachments within. 

 This being done, thrust beneath the glass, two plates of zinc, sufficient- 

 ly large, upon one of which, the glass will be removed, while the other 

 remains to cover the hole. Before doing this, however, it will sometimes 

 be found of use to lift the glass about the eighth of an inch from the 

 crown board of the hive, by means of small wedges, or bits of wood 

 or paper, to allow the bees to lick up what honey oozes out of the 

 cells, that may chance to have been fractured in process of breaking 

 the glass away from its attachments. Five minutes will generally suf- 

 fice for this purpose before removing' the glass, which must not be de- 

 layed too long, or the bees, having sucked up the spilt honey, will pro- 

 ceed to rifle all the cells in the glass, to the dismay of the bee master. 

 When removed, the place of the glass may be occupied with another, 

 or else the hole filled up with a bung or cork. During the whole of 

 this process, not a bee need have escaped to annoy the operator. I 

 have elsewhere stated, that I deem it advisable to give no second 

 glass after the first week in July ; the first reason there alleged holds 

 good in this case with the greater force, as it is desirable that there 

 should be at least five or six pounds of honey stored in the box des- 

 tined for the new colony. 



Pass we now to the early autumn treatment of the bee house 

 colonies (for I think enough has been said elsewhere- to guide the 

 apiarian in the summer management of his bees, and the autumn 

 is no idle time to the scientific amateur). If these colonies have 

 done well, besides the glasses which may have been taken off, there 

 will probably be -found a considerable quantity of comb in one or 

 both of the side boxes of his two swarms, not, however, containing 

 honey enough to tempt him to plunder, or, if tempted, to repay him 

 for the plunder. Bearing in mind, therefore, what I have before 



