TRANS If ERRING. 297 



The best time to buy full colonies of bees, is Spring. A 

 cool day may be selected, in which to move them, as the 

 bees are not flying, none can be lost. In the present thriv- 

 ing state of bee-keeping, colonies of pure Itahan bees (561 ) 

 in movable frame hives (286) can usually be bought at 

 very reasonable figures. If the Apiarist's means are very 

 limited, black bees (549) in old style box-hives may prove 

 the cheapest, if they can be found. But they should be 

 promptly transferred into more practical hives, and Italian- 

 ized (489) ; these manipulations will help to give to the 

 novice the practice which he lacks. Italian bees and mov- 

 able-frame hives are now a sine qua non of success. 



No colony should be purchased, unless it has brood in 

 all stages, showing that it has a healthy queen. For trans- 

 porting bees, see (687 and 603). 



Transferring Bees prom Common to Movable-Frame 

 Hives. 



674. This process may be easily effected whenever the 

 weather is warm enough for bees to fly. 



It has sometimes been done in Winter, for purposes of 

 experiment, by removing the bees into a warm room, but 

 the best time for it, is when the bees have the least honey, 

 at the beginning of the fruit bloom. If it can be done on a 

 warm day, when they are at work, there will be but little 

 danger from robbers (664). 



It is conducted as follows : Have in readiness a box — 

 which we shall call the forcing box — whose diameter is about 

 the same with that of the hive from which you intend to 

 drive the swarm. Smolce the hive, lift it from its bottom- 

 board without the slightest jar, turn it over, and carefully 

 carry it off about a rod, as bees, if disturbed, are much 

 more inclined to be peaceable, when removed a short dis- 

 tance from their familiar stand. If the hive is gently placed 



