io6 BEE-FARMING. 



stand ; if so, pass a knife betwixt the board and the hive 

 all round. Then lift up the hive and blow^ a few pufFs of 

 smoke amongst the combs to cause the bees to retire to 

 the top of the hive. At this stage of the process the bees 

 will not be inclined to fly about ; on the contrary they are 

 generally very peaceable. Now carefully carry the hive 

 and place it in the bucket, with the crown downwards, at 

 the same instant covering it with one of the empty hives, 

 and wind around the part where the two hives join, the 

 roller towel, to prevent any bees from escaping, and tie it 

 firmly on with a cord (four turns of the string is sufficient, 

 two around the lower and two around the upper hive). 

 Having proceeded thus far successfully, you may rest a 

 moment, not forgetting at this stage to place on the stand 

 exactly where the hive stood the other empty hive ; this 

 will perhaps prevent fighting with the other stocks, and 

 cause the bees who have been out working to enter it. 



If the day be sultry, and working hard in the sun un- 

 pleasant, remove the bucket containing the two hives to- 

 some shady spot, beneath a tree if possible, and commence 

 drumming smartly with both hands on the lower hive, at 

 the bottom of which the bees are gathered ; for directly 

 bees are surrounded with or smell the smoke they become 

 terrified and rush to the top of their hive, where the honey 

 cells are generally found, to fill tbeir honey bags. The 

 bees, if a constant drumming is kept up, are not long in 

 quitting their domicile, and clustering on the top of the 

 empty hive ; generally speaking the driving is complete irt 

 fifteen minutes, although sometimes it is very difficult to 

 make them quit their old hive. It must never be at- 

 tempted on a dull rainy day ; choose only a fine and warm 

 day, smoke well, and the driving is easy. After beating 

 the under hive for a quarter of an hour, unloose the towel, 

 and look carefully inside the hives if all the bees are seen 

 clustering like a swarm on the top of the empty skep. 



