44 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTRALASIA 



Under favourable conditions there is a less trouble- 

 some way. After the bees in the box-hive have settled 

 down, select a hive-body containing frames of foundation 

 and inverting the box-hive simply place the body over it. 

 As the colony expands the bees will draw out the 

 foundation and the queen will occupy the new combs. 

 In three weeks all the brood will have hatched in the box- 

 hive, which may now be removed. In many cases the 

 bees remove the honey and store it in the new hive, and 

 all that remains is some old dry comb, suitable only 

 for rendering into wax. The foregoing are the plans for 

 transferring most generally in use. The budding apiarist 

 will be surprised at the celerity and neatness of the bees 

 in effecting repairs to combs so transposed. The bees 

 now housed in a workable hive and busily engaged on a 

 flow of honey — bees should not be transferred unless 

 there is honey enough gathered to enable them to build 

 comb — require no further attention for a day or so. 



MANIPULATING FRAMES. 



OPENING HIVES. 



Seven or eight days after the bees were hived on the 

 frames it will be necessary to look over the colony and 

 see that everything is progressing satisfactorily. The 

 string used to support the combs during transfer may 

 now be removed. But before this be accomplished, a 

 word or two here regarding the proper method of opening 

 a frame hive may not be out of place. Wait imtil the 

 smoker is in a fit condition to discharge a good volume of 

 smoke — not that it is necessary to use a large quantity, 

 but it is advisable to have plenty in reserve in case of 

 accident. 



Approach the hive in a deliberate manner, give one 

 or two puffs at the entrance, then raise the lid — without 

 jerking or jarring it— and puff a little smoke over the 



