52 Bee-keeping for Beginners. 



combs and fastened them with tapes into frames. 

 The latter were put into a hive and the bees thrown 

 on them. On the principle that bees never desert 

 brood, they would fasten the combs to the frames, 

 and all would probably go on well. There are, 

 however, several objections to this method. At the 

 best, it is a very messy job, and the combs from a 

 sleep are frequently very old, and would be better 

 melted down. Then there is the matter of taking off 

 the tapes. A very much more convenient method is 

 now adopted, and this is to make the bees transfer 

 themselves. This is how it is done. In the spring 

 of the year, say about the month of April, take a new 

 bar-frame hive, and fill all the frames with foundation. 

 Full sheets are best. Then take a piece of American 

 cloth — I always use white — large enough to cover 

 over all the frames, and in the centre cut a hole about 

 four or five inches square. Take a fine day for the 

 operation, and see that there are plenty of bees and 

 that they are working. First move the skep which is 

 to be operated upon a little way off, and put the bar- 

 frame hive in its place. Then lift the straw skep up 

 carefully, and place it over the frames, with the centre 

 of the skep just over the square hole in the American 

 cloth. Part of the frames will not be covered by the 

 skep. Pack all this part up with warm material so 

 as to make all snug. The bees will soon begin to 

 work downwards, and as they always store their 

 honey farthest from the entrance, the queen will go 



