BEE-KEEPER S MANUAL. 299 



from the larvee that was left when the old one vacated, 

 and the larvae left will mature at the proper season, if the 

 weather be warm, and thus increase the family, and at 

 the end of three months, both families will have filled 

 their respective hives with honey, wax and bees. 



DIRECTIONS FOR DRIVING AND DISLODGING BEES. 



Notwithstanding that I have already stated, how bees 

 should be driven from one hive to another, in brief, yet 

 I am aware, that I cannot give" too plain, and explicit di- 

 rections for this operation, which to the inexperienced 

 bee-keeper, must at first be attempted, with any feelings 

 but those of pleasure. In the first place, you must be 

 perfectly protected by a bee-dress and gloves. No half- 

 way work in such matters. Provided the weather be 

 warm and favorable, it may be done at any time of day, 

 if you are to drive out a full swarm ; and if much clus- 

 tering exists outside, the time when the least exists is 

 best. You take the full hive and turn it over carefully, 

 setting it down on the ground or table, on its upper end. 

 The empty hive is now to be set over the full one, mak- 

 ing a close joint, so that no bees can escape; and I 

 would here observe, that all hives should be of the same 

 diameter in every apiary, in order to efiect such ope- 

 rations with ease and facility. Having effected the 

 junction, an empty hive is to be placed where the full 

 one stood, as a decoy, to keep the bees that return from 

 the fields from entering the neighboring hives, until the 

 operation is performed. A cloth is now to be tied 

 around the joint, where the two hives meet, to make it 



