264 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



carefully and find the hives to which they belong'. 

 It is generally strong stocks that commence first. If 

 the proper hives can be found, shut them up closely, 

 to prevent their ingress or egress, being always care- 

 ful to ventilate the hive to admit plenty of air, lest 

 they be smothered. Let them stand shut up thus 

 until near sunset, when those that are abroad will 

 enter; in the mean time they will be on the alighting 

 board and around the hive, seeking to enter, but no 

 danger or loss will ensue from this cause. 



When they have got fairly started to rob, and the 

 whole apiary is in an uproar, the only reliable and 

 sure remedy I have ever found, is to proceed imme- 

 diately and close up every hive, both weak and strong, 

 in the apiary (being always careful to ventilate prop- 

 erly); keep them thus until near sunset, then open 

 all at once, when all that are outside will return 

 into the hive. Then close them up again, either 

 about dark or early next morning before any goes 

 abroad ; keep them closed until evening, and again 

 open them. This course will completely nonplus 

 the robbers. If those principally engaged in it are 

 stocks in the apiary, shutting them up thus discomfits 

 them completely for the time being ; and should they 

 be from a neighboring apiary, they will soon get dis- 

 couraged, when they find all doors closed against 

 them, and give it up. But in any case they are likely 

 to renew their attack at some future time. 



Our hives are peculiarly well adapted to close up 

 to prevent robbing, being thoroughly ventilated from 

 the graduated air chamber below. The front slide 



