84 



THE BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING. 



The combs are lifted out one by one— the bees brushed back into 

 the liive — and when free from bees laid in a pan having a cloth 

 to cover over, as each comb is put in, to prevent the ingress of 

 any flying bees. After thus treating all the combs, the hive 



containing the bees 

 is to be placed in 

 its original position 

 for a time, in order 

 to collect the flying 

 bees. Treat every 

 hive to be taken in 

 this manner, and 

 allow the bees to 

 settle quietly ; then 

 throw two lots into 

 one, by placing two 

 of the skeps mouth 

 to mouth, and jerk- 

 ing them suddenly 

 on the ground. 

 Cover over the 

 it) with a piece of 



Method of Removing Comb from Hivs by Bumping. 



lower one (having now all the bees in : 

 strainer-cloth, and tie firmly round with string. 



One or two cautions must here be given. Be particularly careful 

 that all stocks are healthy. Do not " bump " exceptionally full 

 colonies having combs heavily laden with honey, without driving 

 a portion of the bees out first. Any very deep hives had better be 

 driven, as frequently the combs break in the middle, especially 

 if it is a warm day and the combs new. Remove all stoppings 

 from entrances of other hives when the work is finished. En- 

 deavour to take condemned bees during late afternoon or early 

 evening. Leave no litter about the place, and if robbing should 

 happen to commence very seriously, leave off, or the owner will 

 think little of the taker's expertness. These bees can be made up 

 into strong colonies for the next season by placing them upon ready- 

 built combs and feeding up as fast as possible, using the feeder 

 described in par. 59. A good many bee-keepers have an idea that 

 condemned bees can be placed in an empty hive, fed up, and then 

 come out the next spring in as good a condition as stocks ; this is 

 an egregious blunder, as all their stamina is wasted by the extra 

 amount of work imposed upon them by comb-building. They 

 must be put on fully built-out combs if the greatest advantages 

 are to be reaped from them. Foundation alone is almost as 

 bad as empty hives, but foundation alternated with full combs, 

 if the bees are put in early in the season, answers very well. Con- 

 demned bees can be used to strengthen weak colonies before the 

 winter sets in, as also provide queens for queenless stocks, and 

 increase the numbers in nuclei to form stocks (see " Uniting, 

 pars. 94 to 97). 



