^8 BEE-FARMING. 



be managed by sliding the hive gently to the edge of the 

 bottom or floor-board. On the sharp point of the signal 

 K a gun-cap is fixed, and so hung that when freed by the 

 weight it should drop on a brick placed beneath the signal 

 on the ground ; when the swarm is leaving the hive they 

 crowd into the cage in their haste to escape, so that by the 

 weight of the bees in the cage f the signal is liberated and 

 falls on the brick, thus apprising the happy bee-master of 

 his good fortune. Small holes are made in the cage at 

 X) D to allow the workers to escape, for it often happens, 

 •even before swarming, that many bees become prisoners. 

 If the report made by the explosion of the gun-cap is not 

 sufficiently loud to be heard, the signal should be bored 

 and a small charge of gunpowder inserted to communicate 

 ■with the cap. 



HIVING SWARMS IN HIGH TREES. 



One of the most difficult things in the experience of 

 all young bee-keepers is run-away swarms, and swarms 

 which seek the highest bough in any of the large apple or 

 pear trees in the neighbouring garden. In the case of 

 run-away swarms follow them if you can, but in reference 

 to the swarms in a high bough this is not so difficult a 

 task as may appear at first sight. 



We watched with much interest a cottager's wife re- 

 cently hiving a swarm up in an apple-bough ; I tendered no 

 advice, but simply watched all her operations, which were 

 simple enough. She procured a common potato or half- 

 measure hamper, and fastened it to the top of a long pike, 

 then holding it beneath the swarm shook the bough as 

 vigorously as possible under the circumstances, and brought 

 her swarm down safely ; they afterwards quietly entered 

 the hive. This was a rough way of hiving. I hope none 



