STARTING AN APIARY. 803 



swarming, before he has obtained sufficient experience. As 

 it may, however, be sometimes advisable that this should be 

 done, he should, unless he makes his purchase of a man known 

 to be honest, select his stock himself, at an hour when the 

 bees, in early Spring, are busily engaged in plying their 

 labors. He should choose a colony which is aclively en- 

 gaged in carrying in bee-bread, and which, from the large 

 number going in and out, undoubtedly contains a vigorous 

 population. 



The hive should be removed to his own premises, at an 

 hour when the bees are all at home ; but as this may often be 

 inconvenient, I will furnish a new, and valuable method, for 

 removing bees at any hour of the day, without incurring a 

 severe loss of workers : Blow into the entrance of the hive 

 sufficient smoke to alarm the workers, and cause them to fill 

 themselves with honey ; considerable time will now elapse, 

 before any of them will be ready for sallying out to the 

 fields, during which, large numbers will return to the hive. 

 If many still continue to return, and those at home begin to 

 recover from their fright, and leave the hive for work, use 

 more smoke, at intervals, for about half an hour, by which 

 time nearly all will have returned to the hive. If any bees 

 are clustered on the outside, they may all be driven in with 

 smoke. 



As soon as the bees are all in the hive, it should be gently 

 inverted, and a coarse towel placed over it, and tacked fast. 

 If thin strips of wood are laid over the cloth, and the nails 

 driven through them, into the edges of the hive, the bees 

 will be more easily fastened in. Set the hive on some 

 straw, in a wagon having easy springs, and fasten it so that it 

 will not be jolted about ; and be sure, before starting, that 

 it is impossible for a bee to get out. They will now have 

 plenty of air, and the combs, from the inverted position of 



