FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 63 



front end of the other hive, thus leaving plenty of room for my 

 seat beside the full hive, and leaving the empty hive within 

 easy reach. 



OPENING HIVE. 



A single puff at the entrance if the smoker is going well, 

 or two or three puffs if it is yet scarcely under headway, noti- 

 fies the guards that they needn't bother to come out if they 

 feel a little jar. The cover is cracked open the lejist bit at one 

 comer by the tool, then the other corner is cracked open and 

 the cover lifted. It could be lifted without using the tool twice, 

 simply prying up one comer enough, but that would jar the 

 bees more, and excite them. The desire is to get along with the 

 smallest amount of jar and smoke possible, for the queen is 

 to be found, and too much smoke or jarring will set the bees 

 to running so the queen cannot be found. As soon as the 

 cover is raised, a little smoke is blown across the tops of the 

 frames, not down into the hive. While it is bad to use too 

 much smoke, it is also bad to use too little, for if the bees are 

 once thoroughly aroused it takes more smoke to subdue them 

 than it does to keep them under in the first place. 



CLEANING HIVES. 



When the cover is removed the dummy is taken out. If 

 the dummy was on the near side, the frames are all crowded to 

 that side, allowing me to lift out the further frame. Whether 

 that further frame is now to be put into the empty hive 

 depends upon circumstances. It is to be put in if the next 

 frame contains brood; otherwise not. For I want the brood- 

 nest to begin with the frame next to the further outside frame, 

 at least that is generally the way. Then I can tell at any time 

 afterward how many frames of brood are in a hive, merely by 

 finding where the brood begins on the side next me. One af- 

 ter another the frames are changed into the empty hive, making 

 sure that at least those containing brood maintain their origi- 

 nal relative positions. 



When the old hive is empty, then it is set off the stand and 

 the other takes its place. The order of proeeeding may be 

 changed by first setting the full hive off the stand and putting 



