wings on one side with a pair of embroidery scissors. Handle the queen 

 just as carefully as possible, and be sure she does not get a leg in the way 

 when clipping the wings. 



SWABMING. 



The swarming season often begins in May If fruit bloom yields 

 abundant nectar. June, however, is the swarming month, so that extra 

 hives with startered frames should be in readiness. Clipping the queen's 

 wings will save climbing trees after swarms, and the occasional loss of 

 one when no one is around to hive it. If a swarm issues, and the queen 

 is clipped, she may be found within a few feet of the hive entrance, and 

 can be placed in a wire cage. The hive Is then moved to a new stand, and 

 a new hive put on the old stand. The caged queen is then placed in the 

 hive until the swarm returns, when she may be released. 



PUTTING ON SUPERS. 



The supers holding the pound-section honey boxes should be put on 

 about the time white cappings appear along the top bars of the frames 

 A few sections of empty comb, called "baits," entice the bees to begin 

 work in the supers much sooner than would ordinarily be the case. At 

 this time of year give plenty of ventilation, if the bees are inclined to 

 cluster on the outside of the hive, by raising the front off the bottom 

 Doard and placing a block an inch thick under the hive. 



When the super is half or two-thirds finished, place an empty super 

 on top. By the time the second super is well started the first one is prob- 

 ably finished and should be removed. 



TAKING OFr HONEY. 



Bees can be driven from supers of finished honey very readily during 

 the honey flow. Begin smoking as soon as the cover is lifted, and keep 

 smoking till most of the bees have gone below. Remove the super at once 

 before the bees have an opportunity to run back into the super. The 

 nozzle of the smoker should not be held too close to the honey, as there 

 is danger of tainting the honey from the smoke. 



Another method of taking off honey is to place a bee escape board 

 under the supers of comb honey, which the bees will leave through the 

 escape. The escape must be watched, as it Is in danger of becoming 

 clogged with dirt or dead bees. 



