IQ2 - A Modern Bee-Farm 



The bees are first to be removed from the skep by either of 

 the methods before mentioned (Chap. II.), when the best combs 

 are to be cut to the right size to fit exactly tight into the bar- 

 frame ; all edges being cut quite square so that they go 

 together well, and can be more readily secured by the bees. 

 Tie two or three pieces of J-inch tape round the frames to 

 keep all in place, and return the combs to the bees, which 

 may first be shot into the bar-frame hive. They will' soon 

 draw among the newly-transferred combs and clean up their 

 house, where:, after a day or two, one will hardly tell where the 

 joints were. Close up with division boards, cover up warm, 

 and keep the entrance not more than one inch wide until it is 

 absolutely necessary to make it larger. The patches of brood 

 must be arranged so that the larger are at the centre, and the 

 smaller graduating to either side, thus securing greater protec- 

 tion. Should the bees appear crowded with only the combs 

 transferred, give a frame of foundation in the centre, and 

 another as soon as they begin to cluster on the; outside of the 

 division board. Feed carefully so that there is always a little 

 store in hand, but not enough to hinder the operations of the 

 queen. Continue such stimulation until honey comes in. 



It is so frequently recommended that the contents of fixed- 

 comb hives should be transferred twenty-one days after 

 swarming, that I consider it advisable to show that this waste 

 of time is quite unnecessary. The swarm should be hived 

 upon six or seven sheets of foundation close to the parent 

 colony and facing the same way. Within ten days the young 

 queens will be hatching out when a cast or second swarm 

 would issue from the old stock. This appears to have been 

 overlooked ; therefore I advise transfering on the seventh day 

 after the issue of the first swarm, first carefully removing one 

 of the queen cells before druming on the hive. While shift- 

 ing the combs, cut out all the other royal cells, and after the 

 operation return the one previously removed, which meanwhile 

 should have been placed above the first swarm between the 

 quilting to prevent chill. As soon as the young- queen hatched 



