and Us Economic Management. 169 



Best Time to Transfer. 



Where one has straw skeps he will desire to transfer his 

 bees to the frame hive. This can be done in April to 

 -great advantage, as it is just then that the stimulation 

 -does most good, and excites the bees to extend the brood 

 nest. 



The bees are first to be removed from the skep by 

 either of the methods before mentioned (Chap. II.), when 

 the best combs are to be cut to the right size to fit 

 exactly tight into the bar-frame '; all edges being cut quite 

 square so that they fit together well, and can be more 

 readily secured by the bees. Tie two or three pieces of 

 ;J-inch tape round the frames to keep all in place, and 

 return the combs to the bees, which may first be shot into 

 the bar-frame hive. They will soon draw among the 

 newly-transferred combs and clean up their house, where, 

 after a day or two, one will hardly tell where the joints 

 were. Close up with division boards, cover up warm, and 

 Tieep the entrance not more than one inch wide until it is 

 -absolutely necessary to make it larger. The patches of 

 brood must be arranged so that the larger are at the 

 centre, and the smaller graduating to either side, thus 

 securing greater protection. Should the bees appear 

 ■crowded with only the combs transferred, give a frame 

 of foundation in the centre, and another as soon as they 

 begin to cluster on the outside of the division board. 

 Feed carefully so that there is always a little store in 

 hand, but not enough to hinder the operations of the 

 ■ queen. Continue such stimulation until honey comes in. 



It is so frequently recommended that the contents of 

 fixed comb hives should be transferred twenty-one days 

 after swarming, that I consider it advisable to show that 

 this waste of time is quite unnecessary. The swarm should 

 be hived upon six or seven sheets of foundation close to 



