34 



Texas Department of Agriculture. 



of the hives, or from one to two dollars per hive, depending upon local 

 conditions, strength of the colonies, the condition of the combs and the 

 ease with which these may be removed from the hives. 



TRANSFERRING. 



The best time to transfer them into the new hive is during fruit 

 bloom, when the bees are able to secure enough honey to build up 

 on; otherwise they must be fed a little until they can take care of 

 themselves. To transfer them from a box hive into a frame hive, the 

 usual practice is to remove the colony (after smoking the bees well to 

 cause them to fill themselves with honey) a little to one side of the 

 stand, on which the new hive is set, facing in exactly the same direc- 

 tion as the old one was before. The top of the old hive is removed and 

 over the opening a light box is set with its open side over that of the 

 hive. By gently drumming' on the side of the box hive, and also 

 smoking lightly at the entrance below, the bees may be run up into 

 the inverted box, and, when the most of them are in this, making 

 sure that the queen is among them, they are poured in front of the 

 new hive. Into this they will run and make it their new home. A 

 watch may be kept for the queen as she runs in with the bees. A few 



Bees transferring themselves from the old box hive into the 

 new frame hive. 



