PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING 43 
One word about preparing box hives for moving. They 
should be inverted, the bottom being movable, and wire cloth or 
cheese cloth tacked over the whole bottom. If there are any other 
openings these may be covered with wire cloth. 
The box hive to be transferred is inverted and all openings or 
crevices except at the bottom now become the top closed. The 
frame hive or simply a box may then be placed over the open bottom 
and all openings boarded up. Then, by a light, rapid and contin- 
uous drumming, with a stick on the box hive, at first close to the 
ground and gradually higher, the bees may be driven into the box 
or hive on top. A little smoke blown in from the bottom close to 
the ground will serve to start the bees along a little more rapidly 
Too much smoke must not be given as this will only confuse the 
bees and perhaps even start them running back. In a short time the 
bees will have started as may be known by their loud buzzing. 
When they are all up, the hive or box may be removed and placed 
down upon the stand removing the box hive to a tent or closed room. 
Here, away from any possible interference from robber bees, 
one may cut out the combs and fit them into frames. This should 
be done without much delay, as the brood should be restored to the 
warmth of the colony as soon as the change can be accomplished. 
To hold the combs in place, which should, of course, be fitted into 
the frames in their normal position, thin strips of wood may be 
used. Two of these strips notched at the ends, may be wired to- 
gether at one end with space enough between to admit the frame 
and then after the insertion of the frame, with the comb in position, 
they may be wired above, and so a support for the comb is provided 
until the bees can fasten the combs in, which will be accomplished 
in the course of a very few days when the sticks may be removed. 
The sticks may be cut a little longer than the height of the frames 
and then placed in a slanting position, so that patched combs can 
be held in more efficiently. Two or three of these pairs of sticks 
may be necessary in order to hold the comb in place properly. Care 
should be taken in cutting the comb to have it fit.close to the top- 
bar and. when fiitted in, it should fill the frame so that it will be 
held closely fitting to the top-bar, and then the bees will secure it 
well-and much quicker. 
Another way of temporarily securing the combs and especially 
scrviceable in the case of small pieces, is to use long, slender wire 
