338 PURCHASING STOCKS AND TRANSPOETING BEES. 

 TRANSPORTING BEES. 



In transporting your bees, avoid, if possible, the two 

 extremes of very cold, or very warm weather. In the 

 ' latter the combs are so nearly melted, that the weight of 

 the honey well bend them, bursting the cells, spilling 

 the honey, and besmearing the bees. In very cold 

 weather, the combs are brittle, and easily detached from 

 the sides of the hive. When it is necessary to move 

 them in winter, they should be put up an hour or two 

 before starting. The agitation of the bees on being 

 disturbed will create considerable heat, which imparted 

 to the combs, will make them less brittle. 



Have ready some carpet tacks, and pieces of thin 

 muslin about half a yard square. Invert the hive, put 

 the cloth over, neatly folded and fastened with a tack 

 at the comers, and another in the middle of each side. 

 Crowd the tack in about two-thirds of its length ; it is 

 then convenient to pull out when required. 



K the bees are to be taken some distance, and must 

 be confined for several days, the muslin will hardly be 

 sufHcient, and wire-cloth must be substituted. New 

 comb wUl break more easily than old. Probably tlie 

 best mode of conveyance is in a wagon with elliptic 

 springs. A wagon without springs is bad, especially 

 for young' stocks ; yet I have known them to be moved 

 safely in this way with care in packing hay or straw 

 under and around them, and careful driving. When 

 there is good sleighing, a sleigh will answer very well, 

 and some prefer this method of transportation. 



Whatever conveyance is employed, the hive should be 

 inverted. The combs wUl then rest on the top, and are 

 less liable to break than when right end up, because in 

 the latter case the whole weight of the combs must come 

 upon the fastenings at the top and sides, and these are 

 easily broken. 



