TRANSFERRING BEES. 113 
required to prevent robbing, and also to have the comb 
frames all filled with combs, and in good position for the 
bees to winter. As cold weather is so close at hand, the 
bees will have but little time to arrange for winter. 
For transferring, construct the Controllable Hive as 
directed, with exception of the comb frames. Make 
several holes one-fourth inch in diameter through the top, 
bottom and ends of frames, and a like number of sharp 
wooden pins about two inches long to fit these holes. 
Early in the morning before the bees begin to fly, prepare 
your smoker, go to the hive you propose to transfer, and 
before you touch it, smoke the bees at the entrances 
moderately, giving them two or three puffs, waiting about 
a minute and giving them two or three more. Then stop 
the entrances, so no bees can escape. ‘Take the hive from 
the stand and carry it to some out-building, so the bees 
from the other hives will not trouble you, and get a taste 
of the honey thereby inciting them to robbery. Turn 
the hive bottom up, and with two sticks each about a half- 
inch in diameter and twelve inches long, strike the hive 
lightly half a dozen times, and then wait for two or three 
minutes. Then with the sticks on each side of the hive, 
drum briskly (but lightly so as not to break the comb,) 
for about five minutes. Then puff smoke under the bot- 
tom board on all sides. Much of this preliminary work 
is for the purpose of confusing the bees, and inducing 
them to fill themselves with honey from the cells of the 
hive, as a bee gorged with honey will never volunteer an 
attack for the purpose of stinging. The bees are now 
