80 
across the intervening combs, inserting them at about four inches 
from the rim of the skep, and at about four inches apart ; the 
operator should support each comb with his hand or with a piece 
of wood when the skewer is being forced through it, to prevent 
the comb being bent out of place or broken, and for the same 
reason the skewers should be forced through by aslight screwing 
motion of the hand: the bees will quickly attach the combs to 
the skewers, but it is best to give them at least two days to do so, 
When the time has arrived for moving the skep, subdue (82), 
invert the skep, cover its mouth with sacking of open texture 
which should then be firmly secured to the outside of the skep, 
to prevent the escape of bees: then place the inverted skep in a 
crate or box, and tie or fix it therein in such manner that it may 
rest securely in inverted position : the sides of the crate or box 
should project slightly above the skep so that a strong lath may 
be nailed across the top of the box to protect the skep. 
If the stock to be moved is in a box or wooden hive: instead 
of using skewers, cut two pieces of roughish wood, just long 
enough to fit neatly across the hive internally, and about one 
inch square ; subdue (82) the bees, invert the hive, and press 
the two sticks down across and into the combs, just sufficiently 
to permit of the combs being attached to the cross-stick by the 
bees ; the sticks should be placed across the combs, about four 
inches apart, and pressed down about 4 inch into each comb. 
If it is desired to move the stock in warm weather, say in the 
period from June to August inclusive, about half the bees with 
the queen should be driven and placed in a swarm box as de- 
scribed in paragraph 184. 
A fixed comb hive should always be kept inverted during 
transit, as this position facilitates ventilation, and lessens the 
risk of breaking combs, as the heaviest portions of comb con- 
taining honey are those nearest to the roof or crown of the hive. 
XXVI. SPRING CLEANING. 
Advantage should be taken of a suitable opportunity during the 
forenoon of a fine mild day in spring, be- 
186. Spring fore supers are put on, to transfer each 
Cleaning. stock from the hive in which it has been 
wintered, to a clean hive. Care should be 
taken not to expose the brood more than is necessary. Having 
prepared a clean hive to take the frames from the old one (75), 
remove the old hive to a position next its stand, place the clean 
hive on the stand, subdue the bees (65), scrape all propolis 
off the top bars of the frames, smear the frame shoulders (75), 
and then transfer them to the clean hive, placing them in it in 
the same order in which.they hung in the old hive: after which 
cover up. The old hive should then be thoroughly cleaned, 
washed out with an emulsion of one ounce of Izal to one gallon 
of hot water, or a solution of 23 lbs. of washing soda (soda 
crystals) dissolved in one gallon of boiling water, or other dis- 
