58 SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPING. 
found that Mr. R. B. Merritt, of Battle Creek, Mich., was 
ahead of me, although inventing it for a different pur- 
pose. He did not patent it, however, and I believe it is 
now public property, any one having a right use it. The 
idea of thus starting a swarm of bees, I believe to be 
original with myself. I first practiced it about six years 
ago, by catching a few bees from the blossoms in the 
fields for the purpose of experimenting, not thinking, at 
the time, to what use the principle thus demonstrated 
might be applied. 
TRANSFERRING FROM BOX HIVES TO MOVABLE 
FRAMES. 
Having provided a box, called the “ driving box,” so 
made that its mouth will exactly fit the open end of the 
hive from which the bees are to be driven, blow a few 
whiffsof smoke from burning wood, cotton rags, or to- 
bacco, in among the bees—not too much so as to sicken 
and cause them to fall down from among the combs upon 
the bottom board, but only enough to alarm and induce 
them to fill themselves with honey. Let the hive stand 
five minutes, to give the bees which may be out gather- 
ing honey, time to return; then blow in a litile more 
smoke, driving them all up among the combs. Now re- 
move the hive two or three rods from the apiary, under a 
convenient shade, if such is at hand, and carefully turn it 
over on a clean spot, (but never upon loose dirt or culti- 
vated ground,) with its bottom or open end upwards. As 
quickly as possible cut a small piece of brood comb, or 
comb containing eggs and young bees, from near the cen- 
tre of the hive, and suspend it by a nail, or otherwise, in 
a box, for a temporary hive, placed upon the stand from 
which the box hive was removed, to catch up such bees 
