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combs run, and should be so placed that the operator when 
driving shall have his back to the strongest light. Next, remove 
the subduing cloth, and rap the lower hive with the hands so as 
to jar the combs without detaching them ; in very hot weather 
rap lightly ; the bees will soon run up into the empty skep, 
a careful watch should then be kept for the queen, as it is im- 
portant that the operator should be aware whether she has} or 
has not passed into the upper skep. An empty skep or box to 
receive flying bees should be left on the stand from which the 
skep to be driven has been removed.. When all the bees, or as 
many as are required, have been driven, the driving irons may 
be removed, and the new hive with the driven lot may be covered 
over for removal, or if it is desired to catch the flying bees in it, 
it should be placed on the old skep stand; the hive from which 
the bees were driven should be replaced on its stand if it is 
intended that the flying bees shall return to it; whereas if all 
bees have been driven from it in order that the honey comb may 
be removed, it should be covered and put away so that no bees 
can get at it. 
In cold or wet weather, or late in the evening, driven bees are 
slow to go up into the new hive; in such 
83. Close Driving. circumstances it is best to place the new 
skep or hive directly on the top of the old 
one, and to fix it there with skewers so that the bees will not 
not be able to escape; proceed then as in open driving} (82) 
This is called ‘close driving.”” The drawback to this method 
is that the queen’s movements cannot be observed. 
If the stock which is to be transferred is in a wooden box, the 
same procedure should be adopted, except 
84. Driving Bees that a light box may be used in preference 
from a Box. toa skep for driving the bees into. This 
receiving-box should be fixed in position 
over the inverted box hive and held there by two nails ; to avoid 
disturbing the bees before driving is commenced, the nails 
should be driven through the rim of the upper box before it is 
placed in position, and holes to receive them should be bored in 
the rim of the lower box, after which the nails should be driven 
home. If necessary, the upper box may be further supported 
by one or two laths tacked to the side of each box. 
IX. TRANSFERRING BEES FROM A FIXED-COMB 
HIVE TO A BAR-FRAME HIVE. 
A method of transferring which is often adopted, that of cutting 
out the combs, fixing them in frames with 
85. Transferring tape and wire, and transferring bees and 
Comb and Bees from comb thus to a bar-frame hive is not re- 
Fixed-Comb Hive to commended. It is very troublesome to 
Bar-frame Hive. carry out, is likely to cause much loss of 
brood, and is almost certain to result in 
having a lot of frames with old and misshapen comb that should 
be discarded. 
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