MANIPULATING. 



67 



Method of Securing 

 Combs. 



on the outside of each side of the skep where it prdtrudesj now 

 replace the skep on its stand- to collect the flying bees; when 

 they have returned and quieted down, spread the strainer-cloth 

 upon the ground, lift the hive mouth down upon this, and 

 gathering up the four corners of the cloth, 

 tie it round the skep securely with string. 

 After the bees are thus fastened in, the 

 hive can be inverted and two more strings 

 fastened round separately, four small wire 

 staples being driven in over these strings 

 to prevent their slipping up or down. The 

 hive has now only to be placed in a 

 hamper in its inverted position, labelled 

 " Live Bees —With Care " in large letters, 

 and then sent off to its destination. Where 

 a hamper is not obtainable get the top of 

 an American cheese box, and coil a straw 

 band within this, then set the hive on this band and cord it 

 tightly on ; the straw acts as a cushion, preventing violent 

 jarring. In packing straw skeps for travelling short distances, 

 where no changing of trains takes place, the corks and wire can 

 be dispensed with, but they must always be sent in an inverted 

 position, with, the -mouth of the skep covered either with strainer- 

 cloth or perforated zinc. 



114. To Pack a Bar-frame Hive for Travelling. — 



This will require a little more attention than a straw skep, but 

 usually bears the jour- 

 - ' The 



the 



ney much better. The ^Qz^- 



articles used in the — 



packing will be a 



number of pieces of 



the narrowest tape 



procurable, each 25in. 



long, and a board 



i7in. wide and as 



long as will cover 



the entire number 



of frames and the 



dummy-board in the 



hive. In this board ^ 



an oblong hole is ^0=;^ 



made, at least 4'". ' 



g^^e,--__ -_;^^^ 



:®= 



Flat Board Covering Frames, 



wide, and of the 



greatest length that 



the board will allow ; over this hole a piece of perforated zmc 



is affixed. A few long screws and a narrow strip of perforated 



line, of a size to cover over the entrance to the hive, are also 



