8o Advice to Beginners in Bee-Keeping, [may, 



When the box or skep containing the swarm arrives, it must 

 be placed in the shade near the hive the bees are to occupy. 

 The screws of the lid of the box should be taken out ; or in the 

 case of a skep the cording and wraps should be removed, and in 

 the latter case the skep should be placed on a board, with a 

 fair-sized stone under its edge, to allow of ventilation. The bees 

 will soon quiet down, and cluster, after the shaking up of their 

 journey, and thus will be in a condition for handling easily. 

 In the early evening the hive must be prepared to receive them. 

 The shallow-frame lift or section-super should be taken away 

 leaving only a thin quilt over the frames, which have already 

 been fitted with brood-foundation. Then the front of the hive 

 must be raised from the floor-board about an inch, by means of 

 two wedges. Next, a board, tne width of the hive, is placed in 

 front of, and level with, the alighting-board, sloping down to the 

 ground. This temporary board and the alighting-board are 

 covered with a cloth hanging over the sides to the ground, to 

 prevent bees from crawling underneath. Then the skep or box 

 is taken between the palms of the hands, and carried mouth 

 downwards, until it is just above the sloping board. With a 

 smart jerk, the bees are thrown out in front of the hive, and 

 they will at once begin to take possession of their new home. 

 As they run in, watch should be kept for the queen. It is a 

 satisfaction to see her safely enter her abode. When all are in, 

 the wedges should be taken away and the front of the hive 

 lowered to its proper place. Crushing of any of the bees must 

 be avoided. Any that are in danger may be cleared away with 

 a feather. If the swarm has been a long time on its journey, or 

 if the weather is bad on its arrival, the bees will be greatly 

 benefited by being supplied with half a pint of warm thin syrup, 

 through an opening in the quilt and by means of the bottle- 

 feeder. On the second day after hiving, the quilts should be 

 turned back from the ends of the frames to ascertain if the 

 u foundation " remains properly fixed, and to see if the work 

 is going forward well. If this is the case the quilt may be taken 

 off and the queen-excluder put on in its place. Over this a lift 

 of shallow frames should then be placed and covered warmly 

 with a quilt and carpets. The stock may now be left alone till 

 the end of the honey season. More skill is required for obtain- 



