DRIVING AND SHAKING BEES. 133 



pound of syrup (sugar-and-water) amongst the bees, and 

 place it on the board. Every bee -will get a feed. The 

 heat of the hive wiU speedily rise twenty or thirty de- 

 grees, and in a short time the noise and mirth of the bees 

 ■vvill be great. 



If the empty hive has been standing in a cold place, 

 it should be warmed by holding it before the fire for a 

 few minutes, before it is placed on the other. The bees 

 are now easily driven up ; they run as fast and furious 

 under such treatment as they do in the warm days of 

 August. It is a hard-fought battle that kills every sol- 

 dier, and it is an unusually successful achievement when 

 all the bees are driven from the bottom hive. Sometimes 

 two or three dozens will refuse to leave the hive. The 

 brimstone-rag, or a puff of powder, will soon clear them 

 out ; and though we never use the brimstone-rag, or 

 patronise it in any way, for killing whole swarms of valu- 

 able hives, we do not hesitate a moment about applying it 

 to destroy a few stragglers. 



When hives are less than 30 lb. in weight, we take 

 their bees from them by a speedier mode than driving ; 

 we shake them out in less than half a minute of time. 

 When this is done no smoke is used ; the bees are taken 

 unawares. The hive to receive the bees is placed on its 

 crown ; the other is gently raised off its board, but not 

 turned up. The bee-master now places his fingers inside 

 the hive, and his thumbs outside, the hive being fairly 

 balanced on his hands, and his legs pretty well astride 

 the empty hive. He now acts as if he were going to dash 

 the one against the other, but they never touch; the 

 bees, however, go forward, and faE. into the empty hive. 

 A few violent thrusts or shakes, well performed, are often 

 enough to empty the hive of every bee. In cold weather, 

 when bees are sitting fast amongst their combs, "they can- 

 not be shaken out in. this manner without first feeding 



