304 STARTING AN APIAKT. 



the hive, will not bo so liable to be jarred loose. Never 

 purchase a hive which contains much new comb; for it will 

 be next to impossible to move it, in warm weather, without 

 loosening the combs. 



If a new swarm is purchased, it may be brought home as 

 follows. Furnish the person on whose premises it is to be 

 hived, with a box holding at the very least, a cubic foot of 

 clear contents. Let the bottom-board of this temporary hive 

 be clamped on both ends, the clamps being about two inches 

 wider than the thickness of the board, so that when the hive 

 is set on the bottom-board, it will slip in between the upper 

 projections of the clamps, and be kept an inch from the 

 ground, by the lower ones, to allow air to pass under it. 

 There should be a hole in ihe bottom-board, about four inches 

 in diameter, and two of the same size, in the opposite sides 

 of the box, covered with wire gauze, to give the bees 

 an abundance of air. Three parallel strips, an inch and a 

 half wide, may be nailed, about one-third of the way from 

 the top of the temporary hive, at equal distances apart, so 

 that the bees can have every opportunity to cluster; a few 

 pieces of old comb, fastened strongly with melted rosin, will 

 make it more acceptable to the bees. A handle made of a 

 strip of leather, should be nailed on the top. Lei the bees 

 be hived in this box, and kept well shaded ; at evening, or 

 very early next morning, this temporary hive, which was 

 propped up, when the bees were put into it, may be shut 

 close to its bottom-board, and a few screws put into the 

 upper projection of the clamps, so as to run through into the 

 ends of the box. Tn such a box, bees may be safely trans- 

 ported, almost any i-easonable distance : care being taken 

 not to handle them roughly, and never to keep them in the 

 sun, or in any place where they have not sufficient air. If 

 the box is too small, or sufficient ventilators are not put in, or 



