HOW TO KEEP BEES. 31 



strainer cloth and hung in some warm place to drain. This treat- 

 ment may be given the cappings to obtain the honey mixed with 

 them. After the honey has drained out, the comb is emptied into any 

 convenient receptacle — except one of black iron or rusty tin — ^and 

 melted and strained. 



SWAKMS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



With all man's care and precautions bees seem prone to swarm 

 just when it is least desired, which is when they are most busily at 

 work gathering honey, and this seems particularly so when they are 

 storing in sections. Shade, large entrances, an airy location, plenty 

 of room for queen as well as for storage, all tend to deter swarming, 

 but some always seem bound to swarm. About half the colonies in 

 an apiary usually swarm under the systems mostly in vogue. 



When the bees do swarm, if the queen was clipped she will be found 

 on the grass or ground not far from the hive. She should be picked 

 up and caged with a few of her workers. The hive should be set to 

 the rear and another containing only frames with narrow starters of 

 foundation put in its place. By this time the bees, not having a 

 queen with them, will be coming back. Lay the caged queen at the 

 entrance while transferring the honey board and supers, with all the 

 contained bees from the old to the new hive. Next shake all the 

 bees from about half of the combs of the brood chamber of the old 

 hive in front of the new one. In doing this have a wide board, hive 

 cover or box placed level with the hive entrance to shake the bees on. 

 When the majority of the bees are in, liberate the queen at the hive 

 entrance and see that she goes in, using a puff of smoke if need be. 

 Usually the bees wiU settle down to work again, and having no combs 

 for storage below, will put all the honey above. Generally this is an 

 excellent plan, but sometimes it does not work, the bees trying to 

 swarm again. If this occurs, re-cage the queen, and place the cage 

 in the hive for a few days. If the beekeeper is not on hand to see the 

 swarm, the bees, on missing the queen, will return to the hive. A 

 few may find the queen in the grass and gather about her and thus 



