272 SELECTING COLONIES FOE WINTER. 



similar piece of wood is fitted, tbough a little longer, and 

 not to be fastened, as it must be taken out at every opera- 

 tion. The outer end of tbis is cut down to a shape to be 

 taken into the mouth, or attached to the pipe of a pair of 

 bellows. It can be made wholly of tin, but then it is ne- 

 cessary to use solder, which is liable to melt and cause 

 leaks. The pufi"-balls must not be too much injured by re- 





Fig. 33. — FUMIGATOE. 



maining in the weather, and should be taken, if possible, 

 just before they are ripe and burst open. When not 

 thoroughly dry, put them in a warm oven. Remove the 

 rind carefully, ignite it with a live coal — ^it will not blaze — 

 blow it and get it thoroughly to burning before putting it 

 in the tube. Put in the stopper and blow through it ; if it 

 smokes well, you are ready to proceed. When it does not 

 burn freely, unstop and shake it out. 



HOW TO OPERATE. 



Invert the hive to receive the bees, set the other over it, 

 and stop all crevices to prevent the escape of the smoke. 

 Insert the end of the fumigator into a hole in the side of the 

 hive, blow at the other end, and in two minutes you may 

 hear the bees begin to fall. Both hives should be smoked, 

 the upper one the most. The other only needs smoke 

 enough to make the bees similar in scent to those intro- 

 duced. At the end of eight or ten minutes, the upper 

 hive may be raised, and any bees sticking between the 

 combs, brushed down Avith a quill. The two queens are 

 of course together ; one will be destroyed, and no difficulty 

 arise. But if either of them is young, and you have been 

 convinced that such are more prolific, and happen to know 



