136 TRANSFERRING. 



cloth over the top. Drive upon a walk. New swarms may be 

 brought home in a box in the cool of the evening after their 

 issue, but if hives are left for them, and they are allowed to start 

 neio combs, great care must be used, if moved before the combs 

 are finished. 



TRANSFERRING BEES AND COMBS FROM THE BOX HIVE. 



The best time to transfer bees into the movable-comb hive, is 

 from the appearance of the fruit-tree flowers until swarming. 

 During this season, when the bees are gathering honey, the 

 beginner may safely undertake the operation, as the bees will 

 promptly repair the combs and often be more prosperous than 

 before. They may be transferred earlier, if carefully done, or 

 indeed at any time, if the brood is not chilled by exposure to 

 the cool air. Yet nothing is gained by disturbing bees in cold 

 weather, neither is it safe to transfer for three weeks after a 

 stock has swarmed, in which time its queen will generally have 

 oecome fertile. But when a second or third swarm can be hived, 

 and set close to the old stock, it is then quite free from bees, and 

 may be transferred with but little trouble, and the swarm jarred 

 from it3 hive and united with the transferred stock, making a 



c^: 



IS. Transferring tools. The hook Is to loosen the comhs from tho top of the hive or gum, whei the s.lri» 

 M not pried off. The otheris made of a piece of hoop-iron, (2 inches wide by 20 inches long) by grinding lb* 

 And bevelling like a chisel, and is used to loosen the combs from the sides of the hive. 



good job. Or when an Italian queen is to be introduced, six or 

 seven days after a stock has cast a first swarm, the old stock may 



