20 PEARCE METHOD OF BEE-KEEPING 



There are two ways to be considered. A good swarm 

 of bees can be obtained in the spring and another hive-body 

 placed on them with some frames of foundation on this, the 

 honey-cases being put on top of all; or with a little extra 

 expense, two full hives can be purchased, and one placed 

 over the other, having the top one only in a rim. 



To place the bees in position and liberate them after you 

 have them home, move them up to the opening and when all 

 is ready to push them up to it, pull out the rags quickly 

 and push them up in place before many bees get out. If 

 preferred, push them up in place, and if they do not quite 

 fit, take some bits of rags and make all tight so no bees can 

 possibly get into the building. Now go outside, take a ladder 

 and climb up and pull the rags out from the outside, first 

 putting a veil on to shield the face. If, however, the situ- 

 ation is too high to reach conveniently from the outside, 

 then pull out the rags from the inside and push the bees into 

 position before many get out. When all is quiet, proceed to 

 take off the top screen or burlap. Screw this frame on with 

 four screws so that it can easily be removed. If you have 

 a little smoke — every bee-keeper should have a smoker — it 

 is a v/ise plan to give the bees a little smoke to make the 

 most of them go below before removing the screen. After 

 removing the screen or cloth, put on the section cases, which 

 must be ready and filled with foundation starters. These 

 will probably have to be procured from your local supply 

 dealer, for if you are keeping only a few bees, it will hardly 

 pay to rig up to prepare them for yourself ; and, as all they 

 cost can be obtained when they are sold with the honey, 

 nothing is lost. 



When the honey is removed in the fall and the hive is 

 open, prepare to cover it with some porous material such as 

 folded quilts, carpets, or one of the honey cases with the 

 honey boxes removed. Lay a piece of burlap in it, fill with 

 chaff and set it on the hive ; but before doing this, it is well 

 to put a piece of wire netting over the hive and put the case 

 over this to keep the mice out. This porous material is 

 put on because there is moisture which rises from the bees 

 which this lets through, and they winter better for it. Some 

 winter successfully with just the board covers sealed down, 

 but the porous quilts are to be preferred ; too many cannot 

 be used in winter or summer. 



In the Spring. 



Put as many as four or even more honey cases filled 

 with foundation on top of these two hives. Be sure to have 

 enough, letting them go as they please till near the first of 

 November, when the bees will cluster down in the large 

 hive-body out of this sealed honey. 



Then, with a strong knife or screwdriver, quietly pry 

 loose these honey-cases, as they will be stuck fast with bee 



