200 STTMMEB. 



the entrance, thereby nearly or quite closing it, and 

 preventing others going in, when they will gather on 

 the outside. You can expedite the matter with a stick 

 or quill, by gently pushing them away ; and another 

 portion will enter. When gentle means will not in- 

 duce them to go in, in a reasonable time,. and they ap- 

 pear obstinate, a little water sprinkled on them wUl 

 facilitate operations greatly, when nothing else will. 

 (Be careful and not over-do the matter, by using too 

 much water, they can be so wet as not to move at all.) 

 When they cluster on a branch- that you do not 

 wish to cut off, place your bottom-board as near as 

 convenient ; on it lay two sticks about an inch- in di- 

 ameter, of the same length ; try the hive, and see that 

 all is right; then turn it bottom up, directly under the 

 main part of the cluster; if you have an assistant, let 

 him jar the branch sufficiently to detach the bees ; 

 most of them will fall directly into the hive. If no 

 assistant is at hand it is unnecessary to wait, (I have 

 done it a hundred tim es without help) ; with the bot- 

 tom of the hive strike the under side of the branch 

 hard enough to dislodge them, then turn it on the 

 board ; the sticks will prevent the bottom crushing 

 many bees. 



WHEN OUT OF REACH. 



I have gone up a ladder fifteen feet, got the bees 

 in the hive in this way, and backed' down without 

 difficulty. After putting the hive in its place, some- 

 times a part will go back ; in that case, a small branch 

 foil of leaves should be held directly under and close 



