So THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



work in the super for the rest of the season when treated in this 

 fashion. A very good motto to remember is " Handle supers, not 

 sections." When " tiering up" (see par. 128) it is necessary to re- 

 move the super or supers ; this is also necessary when it is desired 

 to put the super-clearer in position, so that almost the same direc- 

 tions will apply in either case. First provide yourself with a strong 

 screw-driver, some pieces of broken section, and your subjugating 

 cloths. Very quietly insert the end of the screw-driver between the 

 super and the frames at one of the back corners, prise the super up 

 very gently, and slip one of the pieces of broken section under ; 

 now serve the opposite comer in the same manner. Perhaps one or 

 more of the frames will be stuck fast to the bottom of the super, 

 and if you prise the super up much higher, the frame or frames 

 will break away and drop back into their place with a sudden jerk ; 

 if they do, cover the hive up and leave it for an hour or so as the 

 bees will instantly endeavour to avenge such rough treatment. This 

 accident will make the most mild -tempered bees vicious. To 

 prevent such an occurrence prise the super up about ^in. at 

 one end, and then notice if by so doing you lift any of the frames ; 

 if so, very gently push them into their place by pressing upon the 

 lugs of same. Now you have loosened the super, which is raised 

 by means of the pieces of broken section, away from the frame 

 tops, leave it thus for about five minutes, the bees will then be 

 busily engaged in clearing up the little honey which is sure to be 

 exposed owing to the breaking away of the super from the frames. 

 Now, bodily and quietly lift off the super either to put another on 

 or to put on the super-clearer. No subjugation is really necessary at 

 the time of "tiering-up," as the bees will then be bringing in honey 

 very fast and so will be in an amiable temper ; also, it is inadvisable 

 at such a time to drive the bees out from the super as will be done 

 by subjugation. But when it is desired to remove a full super a 

 subjugating cloth should be spread right over the top, in the place 

 of the quilts, for a few seconds or until you can put the super- 

 clearer under ; it must then be removed and the hive left until the 

 super is free from bees. The most noticeable effect when using a 

 super-clearer is that the sections will never be damaged (" pin- 

 holed ") by the bees, as they always are, more or less, especially 

 towards the end of the honey flow, when such an appliance is not 

 used. The bees are in an almost normal condition during their 

 exodus, as they have direct communication through the trap of the 

 super-clearer with their comrades in the body of the hive, and only 

 vacate the super when passing from super to body-box. Any odd 

 super, such as a skep super, can be cleared of bees by putting a 

 super-clearer over its mouth, thus allowing them to escape through 

 the trap but preventing their re-entrance ; or by placing the 

 super to be cleared of bees in a box of sufficient size to accom- 

 modate it, and using the clearer as a lid to the box, in a 

 couple of hours the super will be clear. 



