TEANSPEERING. 259 



CHAPTER XIX. 



TRANSFERRING. 



If there is no other object in transferring bees intended 

 to be kept in swarming hives, than simply to have them in 

 a situation to look at, it is of doubtful utility. But when 

 any other motives can be adduced, it will pay better. If 

 you wish to Italianize your bees, or to get them in such 

 condition that you can readily and safely make artificial 

 swarms, you probably cannot do better than to change a 

 part of them to movable comb-hives. It is not a very 

 formidable operation to transfer combs, brood, and honey, 

 as well as bees. 



PEBPAKATION. 



Prepare the frames without the triangular bar at the 

 top, as directed in the chapter on hives. A part of them 

 should have a second bar, one inch wide, by one-fourth 

 inch thick, some placed a little above, and others a little 



below the centre. 

 For each frame 

 you will want from 



I ) two to four pairs 

 Fig. 31. — PIECE USED TO STEADY THE COMBS of thiu narrow 



IN TKAUSPOBTATION AKD TKANSFEKKIKG. „, .„„ „„„J?„„.j.l, 



strips — one-iourtn 

 inch square will do. They should be just half an inch longer 

 than the height of the frames, projecting one-quarter mch 

 above and below. Cut a small notch in each end to hold 

 a piece of twine, with which they are to be tied together. 



April is usually the best season. There is then the 

 least honey in the way, and not often much brood. Two 

 or three weeks after the first swarm, is also a good time. 



