Bee-Keeping Simplified 29 



JX.- UIUVING. 



Owing to the decadence of the skep system of bee-keeping, 

 driving is practically a thing of the past. Its object is to 

 get the bees out of the skep or box without killing them. 



It is done to make artificial swarms in the spring, in the 

 autumn to save bees which would otherwise be suffocated to 

 obtain the honey ; and three or four lots joined together — (see 

 Uniting) — hived upon combs already built in frames, and fed 

 with white cane sugar syrup — (see Feeding) — until they have 

 stored sxxfficieut to maintain them during the winter; they 

 will commence work as a colony the following year. 



Driving should be carried out towards evening to avoid 

 robbing. Subdue the bees as already described, then turn the 

 skep or box upside down, taking care to turn it with the 

 combs edgewise, or they may break off. Place it on a table. 

 To keep a dome-topped skep level it will be necessary to stand 

 it in a bucket, which is weighted and made to stand firm by 

 being half filled with water. 



An empty skep or box is now fixed on to it in the position 

 of a box lid half open ; the two edges are fastened together 

 by pushing a three-inch nail right through the top one 

 into the bottom one at the joint, taking care to make the 

 junction of the two skeps or boxes at right angles to the 

 combs, so that a direct clear passage is left for the bees when 

 they commence to go up. 



Driving irons are used on either side. They are made of 

 iron wire, with one and a half inches turned at right angles 

 at either end, or a couple of pieces of wood, with a two-inch 

 nail driven through either end, will do. The driving irons 

 are fixed with one projecting end or nail driven into each 

 skep or box. Fig. 42. 



The chink on either side of the joint is stopped by tying 

 a cloth to one driving iron, pulling it tightly round the back, 

 and tying it to the other one as seen in the illustration. 



All that is then necessary is to beat with the hands upon 

 the full skep or box. This should be done on the sides to 

 which the ends of combs are attached, as illustrated, and not 

 on the sides to which they run parallel, or the combs will 

 break. By turning the skep or box upside down an uphill 

 position is provided, up which the bees travel quickly, more 

 especially as they are further frightened by the vibration 

 caused by drumming with the hands. 



If preferred, close driving may be practised; the operation 

 is the same, except that the empty skep or box is shut close 



