DRIVING BEES 99 
is a set of driving irons, and some skeps, linen 
bags, or boxes for the reception of the bees. 
Gently, smoke the skep to be driven, and turn 
it upon its crown, afterwards attaching an empty 
skep upon it as given below. The skeps are 
pinned together with the short iron, the others 
being used to support the sides. The point of 
junction, which forms the bridge by which the 
bees will reach the top skep, must be at the end 
of the central comb. This is a most important 
feature. The combs must run away from the 
operator, not across him from left to right, or 
there will be trouble. Place the skeps so that 
~ the strongest light comes from behind the oper- 
ator, and then commence to steadily beat the sides 
of the bottom skep with the open hands. Soon 
the bees will begin to ascend, and in a few minutes, 
the skep containing the combs will be clear, after 
which the irons may be removed and the bees 
shaken into a box or bag, leaving the empty. skep 
ready for the next lot. If the bees instead of 
ascending show a disposition to boil over the sides 
of the skep, they must be checked with the smoker 
and induced to take the right direction. 
These bees are useful either for the strengthen- 
ing of weaklings or for the forming of new. 
colonies. In the latter case about six pounds of 
bees will be needed, or roughly the contents of 
two or three skeps. If necessary two or three lots 
of bees may be placed in the same box at the 
time of driving, first removing any queens which 
