79 
empty drawn comb; any frame the comb in which is not firmly 
attached at the top and sides, should be secured by passing strips 
of broad tape or calico under the bottom bar of the frame, and 
tying them over the top bar ; treat frames containing new comb 
similarly ; in hot weather it is best to send about half of the bees 
with the queen in a swarm box (56), thus leaving in the hive 
sufficient bees tonurse the brood; pressthe dummy and all frames 
both before and behind it tightly to the front and wedge them in 
position, so that they cannot shift backwards ; spread a cover of 
sacking of open texture about 20 inches by 20 inches over all, so 
that it shall project over the body-box allround; place two laths, 
each of exactly the internal lengths of the body-box, over the 
sacking, so that they shall lie immediately over the shoulders of 
the frames on either side, and tack or screw the laths down to the 
front and back sides of the body-box, so that they shall keep the 
frames in position during transit ; then further secure the sack- 
ing cover by tacking over it a slip of wood, at the front and back ; 
place the lift over the body-box, inverted as for winter ; it will 
thus securely bind the canvas cover; screw or nailthe floor-board 
to the body-box with one screw or nail on each side; tie the 
body-box firmly to the floor-board with rope, so securing it that 
if the alighting board breaks in transit, the ropes round the body- 
box will not slacken (Fig. 53); the roof and any spare fittings 
should be packed as a separate parcel; after the bees have re- 
turned and settled down in the evening, securely close the en- 
trance; this may be done by tacking perforated zine over the 
entrance, or if a Swiss entrance (21) is fitted, by closing the 
doors tightly, and tacking them to prevent them from opening. 
The hive, if to be sent by train, should be labelled ‘‘ LIVE 
BEES, WITH CARE, THIS SIDE UP.” 
An excellent alternative method of packing is to act as above 
described until the frames have been wedged in position ; then, 
instead of securing the frames by laths over canvas, tack a lath 
over the centre of the top of a section crate, then cut a piece of 
open texture sacking large enough to permit of its being drawn 
neatly over the crate and tacked securely to the crate sides all 
round, so that no bee could escape under it; then place the 
crate over the frames and secure it in position with screws or wire 
nails, so that no bees can escape; this method of packing pro- 
vides ample space in the crate for the bees, and makes suitable 
provision against risks of over-heating, or chilling of brood: 
it is therefore probably the safest method for an inexperienced 
person to adopt when the weather is warm. 
To secure a stock in a skep for transit by rail or road : if the skep 
is not fitted with wooden skewers running 
185. Securing a through the combs, they should be inserted ; 
tartan aa it is best that this should be done at least 
for Transport by two days before the skep is to be removed. 
Road or Rail, 10° fit the skewers, subdue (82), invert the 
skep, and then drive a couple of sharply- 
pointed wooden skewers through the sides of the skep and 
