BEE MANUAL. 183 



CHAPTER X. 



TRANSFERRING. 



Although the operation of transferring bees and combs from 

 a box to a frame hive may appear a formidable undertaking 

 to the beginner, he will soon find that it only requires a little 

 confidence to get over all the difficulties easily. After he has 

 succeeded with the first case, he feels astonished that he should 

 have felt half afraid to commence. 



IMPLEMENTS REQUIRED. 



Transferring may be done at any time during the summer, 

 but the best time for it is in the spring, before the combs are 

 heavy with honey. A few tools are necessary, and these should 

 be ready at hand before commencing. A hammer and chisel 

 will be required to knock the box asunder, a long knife to cut 

 the combs, a lighted smoker, an empty box, a hive with frames, 

 and a box or barrel turned bottom upwards to serve as a bench. 

 Some transferring wires (Fig. 93, No. II.) will also be required 

 for fastening the combs in the frames. 



Fig. 98.— TRANSFERRING WIRES AND CLASPS, 



These I usually make out of No. 16 wire in the following 

 manner : — Lay a frame on its side, and cut the wires an inch 

 longer than the outside depth of the frames, and then make a 

 bend in the wires half an inch from each end, so that they can 

 be made to grip the top and bottom bars of the frame. About 

 thirty of these may be required for each hive. A few clasps 

 (Fig. 93, No. i.) made of tin strips are also handy. A trans- 



