BlOESj BEE-HIVES, AND BEE CUI/rURE. 87 



are two ways of doing this, one is by fumigation (see page 66), 

 the other by driving (see page 84). Whichever plan may be 

 resorted to, have the bees confined in the old hive on their stand 

 until you are quite ready to admit them into the bar and frame hive. 

 Have in readiness all the necessary appliances : these consist of a 

 large knife for cutting the hive, a good sized table on which to lay 

 the brood combs, a basin of water — for washing oif honey which 

 may besmear the hands, — tape or cotton string to fasten the combs 

 in their frames, a pair of honey cutters for cutting out the combs, 

 jars to hold the honey that runs out, and a feather for brushing 

 off any bees that may remain. It is necessary that the operator 

 should have on Ms bee-dress, and India-rubber gloves. Then begiu 

 by slicing off a piece of the hive with a sharp table knife ; carefully 

 cut out the working combs — cut them large, so that they will squeeze 

 into the frames ; and to be more secure, wind some of the tape 

 round to keep them in position until made fast by the bees. After 

 a few days, these fastenings may be removed. Care should be taken 

 that the combs occupy tbe same position in the frames as in the 

 liive from which they were extracted. Having thus prepared the 

 hive, the bees may be let into it. It may be as well to keep them 

 confined a few hours, giving them water at the top, until they make 

 the combs secure; the new hive will then be less likely to offer an 

 attraction to bees from other hives who, if feloniously inclined, 

 might come to rob. This transfer should be made when the 

 weather is such that the bees can fly about ; when not warm enough, 

 it should be done in a room at a temperature of about 70 degrees. 

 An expert apiarian could perform the operation in less than three 

 quarters of an hour, and with little loss. A week or so after a 

 swarm has left the old stock is perhaps the very best time for such 

 a removal. Should the operation be performed in the open air, the 

 bees from surrounding hives will be sure to come in great numbers 

 to obtain t share of the honey necessarily exposed, for they delight 

 in plunder, In order, therefore, to avoid annoyance to the operator, 

 and the excitement which is certain to be induced in surrounding 

 hives, it is better to conduct the dissection in some building with 

 closed doers. In some instances a routing of this kind has a 

 beneficial effect ; old stocks of hives that have previously appeared 

 to be dwinlling, are often aroused to activity by their removal into 

 a fresh douicile. 



