TRANSFEEEING. 313 



return; the joyful news is quickly communicated to those 

 on the wing, who forthwith alight and enter the hive; all 

 appearance of agitated runnuig about on the outside of the 

 hive ceases, and ventilation, with its joyful hum, is again re- 

 sumed. To witness these interesting proceedings, it is only 

 necessaiy to catch the queen, and keep her mitil she is missed 

 by her colony. For greater security, she should be confined 

 in a queen cage (536) during the experiment. 



If the queen has not left the old hive, it is safer to return 

 the bees and to resume the driving at another time. 



578. To transfer the comb, have on hand tools for pry- 

 ing off a side of the hive; a large knife for cutting out the 

 combs; vessels for the honey; a table or board, on which 

 to lay the brood combs; and water for washing o£E, from 

 time to time, the honey which will stick to your hands. 



Have also a number of pieces of wire, No. 16, cut a little 

 longer than the frame, and bent on the ends in this shape 



I I to be driven into the wood of the frame, and to hold 



the combs in place. Let a certain number of frames be in 

 readiness, with three or four of these wires fastened on one 

 side, and lay them on the table, wire-side doivn. You must 

 also have your movable-frame hive in readiness near the 

 table, with an extracting pan ('J''i'0) under it, instead of a 

 bottom-board, to receive what honey may drip. All this 

 must be ready before disturbing the bees. 



579. ' Having selected the worker-combs, carefully cut them 

 rather large, so that they will just crowd into the frames, 

 and retain their places in their natural position (fig. 46), 

 until the bees have time to fasten them. 



Now tack as many wires over them as may be necessary 

 to hold them securely, and hang them in the hive. Drone 

 combs should invariably be melted into wax. If drone-brood 

 is found, it can be fed to young chickens, who are very fond 

 of the larvBB. The bottom-board should be put under the 

 hive just before carrying it out. 



When the hive is thus prepared, the bees may be put into 



