254 Hiving Bees. 



also be necessary. Always let ingenuity have its perfect 

 work, not forgetting that the object to be gained is to get 

 just as many of the bees as is possible on the alighting- 

 board in front of the hive. Carelessness as to the quantity 

 might involve the loss of the queen, which would be 

 serious. The bees will not remain unless the queen enters 

 the hive. Sliould a cluster form where it is impossible to 

 brush or shake them off, they can be driven into a basket, 

 or hive, by holding it above them and blowing smoke 

 among them. All washes for the hive are more than use- 

 less. It is better that it be clean and pure. With such, 

 if they are shaded, bees will generally be satisfied. But 

 assurance will be made doubly sure by giving them a 

 frame of brood, in all stages of growth, from an old hive. 

 This may be inserted before the work of hiving is com- 

 menced. jNIr. Doolittle thinks this does little or no good 

 and tends to induce the building of drone comb. Mr. Bet- 

 singer says they are even more apt to go off; but I think 

 he will not be sustained by tlie experience of other apia- 

 rists. He certainly is not by mine. I never knew but one 

 colony to leave uncapped brood; I have often known them 

 to swarm out of an empty hive once or twice, and to be 

 returned, after brood had been placed in the hive, when 

 they accepted the changed conditions, and went at once to 

 work. We should expect this, in view of the attachment 

 of bees for their nest of brood, as also from analogy. How 

 eager the ant to convey her larva} and pupte — the so-called 

 eggs — to a place of safety, when the nest has been invaded 

 and danger threatens. Bees doubtless have the same desire 

 to protect their young, and as they cannot carry them 

 away to a new home, they remain to care for tjiem in one 

 that may not be quite to their taste. Of course if swarm- 

 ing is jjermitted either with or without clipped queens, the 

 bees must be closclv watched at the swarming season. Dr. 

 Miller secures a bright active j'irl or boy to watch. He 

 ^ays the watcher can sit in the sliade and go and look once 

 in e\ery four or Hxc minutes. For loo colonies it takes 

 the whole time of one person, as the noise made by so 

 many flying bees makes actual Inspection of all hives 

 necessary. This \vatching is necessary from 8 a. m. till 2 



