THE APIARY.. 83 
Probably the best mode of conveyance is in a wagon 
with elliptic springs. A wagon without springs is bad, es- 
pecially for young stocks; yet I have known them to be 
moved safely in this way, with care in packing hay or 
straw under and around them, and careful driving. 
Whatever conveyance is employed, the hive should be 
inverted. The combs will then rest on the top, and are 
less liable to break than when right end up, because in 
the latter case, the whole weight of the combs must come 
upon the fastenings at the top and sides, and these are 
easily broken. When bees are moved, thus inverted, they 
will creep upward ; in stocks partly full, they will often 
nearly all leave the combs, and get upon the covering. 
For several years, we have purchased bees largely, 
bringing them sometimes a distance of 150 miles by rail, 
when the weather was quite warm. At such times, we 
used wire-cloth to confine the bees, which was enough 
larger than the bottom of the hive, to be rounded up, so 
that the bees could go above the combs, and have a freer 
circulation of air. 
If they are to be shut up any length of time, it i is often 
beneficial to. furnish them with water, by sprinkling it 
through the wire-cloth. They will receive it very gr eedily. 
Half a gill may be given each swarm two or three times 
each day. Ora piece of sponge may be fastened to the 
wire-cloth, and kept saturated, allowing the bees to take 
as much as they desire. Much care is necessary in mov- 
ing heavy colonies in warm weather. 
In packing hives into a wagon; place them so that the 
combs will stand cross-wise of the wagon-box, as they 
are less liable to break in this position. In a railroad 
car, they should stand so that the combs will be length- 
wise with the car. 
In preparing colonies for transportation, it is frequently 
necessary to work at them during the day, while the bees 
are flying. All holes in the top of the hive should be 
