AUTUMN MANAGEMENT. 221 
reduced to two; the stupefied colony being first 
divided into two portions, one of which is set aside 
in an inverted and covered skep, or any secure 
receptacle, whilst the other is subjected to the 
uniting process. All that remains is to see that 
each hive, as now made up, contains honey to last 
the winter; and whatever is wanting must be sup- 
plied for that purpose, in the way pointed out under 
“Autumnal Feeding.” As to the brood in the de- 
prived hive, see the final paragraph of this section 
(page 229). 
We will now detail another mode of proceeding, at 
once speedy and efficacious, and attended with no 
risk to the operator. In the evening puff some smoke 
into the mouth of the hive you wish to empty, 
without removing it. Compel as many of the bees 
as you can to fall down; then lift the hive, and 
brush out those remaining; taking away the queen 
if you can find her without much trouble. Collect 
the whole in a heap on the floor-board, and sprinkle 
them pretty well with sugared ale. You may now, if 
the numbers are still thought insufficient, add to 
the first the smoked bees of a second hive. Next, 
in a quiet manner, and without removal, puff some 
smoke within the stock-hive into which the bees 
thus collected are to be transferred; just sufficient 
to stupefy its inhabitants, and produce a uniformity 
of scent. Turn it bottom upwards (with the same 
precaution as above), floor-board and all, so as to 
drop no bees; and place it, if of straw, in a pail, or 
some similar kind of support. In this position lift 
off the floor-board, and sprinkle these bees also with 
