190 FIFTY YEARS- AMONG THE BEES 



At such a time there is little need to be vei\v careful about 

 robbers, and it may be that honey may stand exposed for hours 

 without being troubled by them. So when the super has been 

 smoked it is taken off and set on the ground leaning against the 

 luve, the hive-cover is put on the remaining supers, and then 

 our removed super is set on its end on top, so as to project a 

 little over the side of the hive. After a time, perhaps half an 

 hour, the bees are likely to start a trail from the super over the 

 side of the hive to join the bees of the colony below. 



A number of supers may be thus standing at a time on 

 their respective hives. Sometimes two sa]:eis are taken from 

 the same hive, and, in rare cases, especially late in the season, 

 Ihiee. 



WATCHING FOR ROBBER BEES. 



These supers, left standing on Ihe hives, however, are never 

 left entirely out of mind, and a glance is given toward them 

 tn'tTy few minutes. If at any time bees are seen flying with 

 llieir heads toward a super, immediate attention is given to the 

 mailer, and the supers hustled off the hives. When the bees are 

 nearly out, or at any time when it is not desirable to leave 

 su])eis standing on the hives, they are put in piles, preferably 

 not more tlmn ten high. 



WHEN ROBBER BEES TROUBLE. 



If fear of robbers does not allow the supers Id stand 

 exposed, the super is still put on top of the hive, and a good 

 many of the bees are at once driven out by smoke. The smoker 

 is held on the side toward the wind, so that the wind will help 

 drive the smoke between the sections, and fi-om time to time the 

 bees are brushed off. The bee-brush generally used is the Cogg- 

 shall, but if it were not for the trouble of preparing one fresh 

 every day, I think I would prefer a good-sized bunch of aspara- 

 gus, sweet clo\er. goldenrod, or something of the kind tied 

 together. 



MILLER TENT-ESCAPE. 



In piling the supers a sunny place is preferred, to entice 

 out IIjc bees. A deeii bottom-board is put on the ground, a 



