140 PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES. 



our bees are a loug time filling a box, the comb is not as 

 purely white as when filled expeditiously. Occasionally, 

 a colony will contain too many bees to work to advantage 

 in one set of boxes. In such a case, after the first are 

 well advanced, raise them up and put another set under 

 them, with holes for communication through both top and 

 bottom. 



Two weeks is about the shortest time in Avhich boxes 

 are filled and finished. The time, of course, depends on 

 the yield of honey and size of the swarm. It usually takes 

 three or four weeks. 



WHEN TO TAKE THEM OFF. 



When no more honey is gathered, all boxes that are 

 worth saving should be taken off. If left longer, the 

 comb not only becomes dark, but unsealed cells containing 

 honey, are often emptied by the bees. The condition of 

 the boxes can be readily ascertained by raising the cover. 



If a slide of tin or zinc is used to close the holes when boxes 

 are taken off, SDme of the bees are apt to be crushed, or 

 find themselves minus a head, leg or Aving, and all of them 

 will be irritable for several days. A little smoke will an- 

 swer every purpose. Raise the box sufficiently to puff 

 under it some smoke, and the bees will leave the vicinity 

 of the holes in an instant. The box can then be removed, 

 and another put on if necessary, without exciting their 

 anger in the least. 



Arouse the bees by striking the box lightly four or five 

 times. If all the cells are finished, and honey is still ob- 

 tained, turn the box bottom up, near the hive from which 

 it was taken, so that the bees can enter it without flying. 

 By this means you can save several young bees that have 

 never left the hive and marked the location ; also a few 

 others too weak to fly, which will follow the rest into 

 the hive. Such are lost when we are obliged to take them 



