§ III.] TRANSFERRING OLD STOCKS. 223 



the difficulty, but as it may not satisfy all, we will now 

 proceed to describe how a complete transfer of colonies 

 may be effected. No hive offers such facilities for the 

 placing of the combs in a perfectly upright position as 

 does the frame hive. As before remarked, we should be 

 slow to recommend any one to attempt the operation 

 who is not already pretty well accustomed to the hand- 

 ling of bees and acquainted with their habits ; but by 

 carefully carrying out the following directions an apt bee- 

 keeper may successfully perform the feat. The first 

 thing is to get the bees away from the combs : there are 

 two ways of doing this — one is by fumigation (see page 

 207), the other by driving (page 226). Whichever plan 

 may be resorted to, place the bees in the temporary 

 hive on their old stand until you are quite ready to admit 

 them into the frame hive. Havs in readiness all the 

 necessary appliances. These consist of a large knife for 

 cutting the hive, a good-sized table on which to lay the 

 brood combs, a basin of water — for washing off honey 

 which may besmear the hands — tape or string to fasten 

 the combs in their frames, a pair of honey-cutters (page 

 193) for cutting out the combs, jars to hold the honey 

 that runs out, and a feather for brushing off any bees 

 that may remain. It is necessary that the operator 

 should have on his bee dress and india-rubber gloves. 

 If the old skep is not valued the operation will be 

 facilitated by cutting it in half vertically .between the 

 two middle combs ; but the honey-cutters will accom- 



