REMOVING BEES. 203 



covered with cheese-cloth or open towelling, but the 

 Bees will gnaw through this if the journey be one of 

 days. Newly-made combs will not stand much shaking, 

 and these should only travel under the supervision of 

 some careful persons ; for, should the combs be shaken 

 down, great destruction of Bees would ensue, and the 

 owner would have considerable trouble in rectifying the 

 mishap. When frame hives are sent away, two strips of 

 wood, with pieces nailed to them to go between the 

 frames to keep them apart, should be fastened over and 

 under the frames. When Bees are to be removed by 

 hand, they ride easily and safely on a light hand-barrow, 

 which may be made of a couple of light poles, crossed 

 by a few thick sticks. In hot weather it is not prudent 

 to send a large swarm far in an otherwise unfurnished 

 hive, the excitement causes the Bees to generate a great 

 heat, often sufficient to suffocate them all. 



PREPARATION OF WAX. 



Having employed the Bees to extract every particle of 

 honey from the combs, put the latter in a clean cloth, 

 which sink in a copper of hot water, interposing a plate 

 between the bundle and the bottom in order that the 

 cloth may not burn ; simmer over a clear fire, and as the 

 wax melts, it will come to the top of the water, and may 

 be taken off in a cake when cold. If preferred, the 

 comb broken up small may be put into a saucepan of 

 water, boiled, and when melted poured into a flannel bag 

 also made hot and wet with boiling water ; the melted 

 wax will run through into a tub of water. In order to 

 refine the wax the process will have to be repeated once 



