THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
75 
or block of wood. With a sudden jerk dislodge 
the tees on toe cloth in front of the hive, which 
they will quickly enter. 
4. If the branch on which the bees have 
clustered is small and not valuable, cut it off, 
taking care to avoid all jarring, and shake the 
tees on to the sheet in front of the hive. 
5. If the bees have clustered on the branch 
of a tree too valuable or too thick to cut otf, 
shake them first into an inverted skep. Hold 
the skep bottom upwards in one hand under 
the cluster, and with the other give the branch 
a smart shake so as to let the bees fall into it. 
If they are to be kept in the skep put a floor- 
board over and turn the skep on to the stand 
the bees are to occupy. If they are to be put 
into a frame-hive invert the skep and with a 
sudden jerk throw the bees down on the cloth 
close to the front of the hive. 
C. If they alight on the trunk of a tree brush 
them gently into a skep, or, if possible, place 
its edge near the upper part of the cluster and 
drive them up by blowing a little smoke, or 
placing a cloth dipped in carbolic solution 
under them. A piece of comb containing brood 
fixed inside the skep will induce the bees to 
take to it more readily. 
7. If the bees settle on the ground, the hive 
should be set close to them, and with a spoon 
gently place a few near the entrance. The 
hum of these will entice others to follow, and 
in a short time they will all enter. 
8. If moveable comb-hives are to be used it 
is best first to secure the bees in a skep or a 
metal pail, from which they can be poured out 
gently on to the cloth in front of the hive. 
9. In moveable comb-hives with legs, turn 
up the quilt and remove three or four of the 
outer frames, and from the pail pour out the 
bees into this space. They will run in and 
cluster among the other frames : then return 
the frames which have been taken out and lay 
the quilt gently over them, leaving a small 
opening at one corner for the straggling bees 
to enter. Put on the cover and prop it up to 
allow free ventilation until the evening, when 
it can be put in position. 
10. The bees should be taken to the stand 
which they are to occupy as soon as possible 
after they have been hived, and should be 
shaded while they are in the receiving hives 
or skeps from the heat of the sun. 
11. Despatch in hiving is important as bees 
become more difficult to handle the longer they 
arc out of the hive, and there is a danger of 
their rising and flying away. 
12. If the bees are to be kept in a straw 
skep it will require no preparation, but should 
be perfectly clean. Frame-hives will require 
the frames furnished with guide-combs or 
comb. foundation, and when they are propped 
up during hiving care should be taken to have 
the frames hang at right angles to the front, 
otherwise the heat and weight of the bees 
would displace the comb foundation, and they 
might possibly break away from their attach- 
ments. Great, care should also be taken in 
moving these hives when the swarms are in 
them , and they should be carried very steadily 
and held level. The hive should be adjusted 
in its place, taking care that it is level across 
the combs. 
XII. — How to Treat Kecently-hived 
Swarms. 
1. The careful beekeeper will endeavor to 
get his swarm to build out its combs and fill 
the hive as quickly as possible, and he will not 
leave the bees to do so without any assistance 
from him. Feeding gently w ill have the effect 
of keeping many bees at home comb building 
who would otherwise be in the fields collecting. 
All swarms should be fed, even in fine 
weather, for the first week at any rate. At 
the time of hiving, give them a bottle of syrup, 
placed on the top of the frame in such a man- 
ner that they may have access to two or three 
holes in the feeding-stage. A hole must be 
cut in the quilt to allow' the stage to be placed 
over it, and care should be taken to cover over 
the bottle so that strange bees cannot get at 
it from outside, otherwise robbing may result. 
2. The syrup used should consist of 10 lbs. 
white lump sugar, 7 pints of water, 1 oz. of 
vinegar, and 1 oz. of salt, and the whole boiled 
for a few' minutes, after which 1 oz. of salicylic 
acid solution should be added. This solution 
may be made by dissolving in 1 pint of warm 
water I oz. of salicylic acid and j oz. of soda 
borax. 
3. The swarm should only have as many 
frames as it can comfortably occupy, the space 
being closed up with a division-board, and the 
spare frames hung in the division at the side. 
From six to eight frames are usually sufficient. 
4. Swarms are greatly assisted by having 
given to them one or two frames of comb with 
hatching brood. These can be taken from es- 
tablished stocks if the beekeeper have them, 
and they be strong enough to spare any. 
5. At the end of a week, examine the hive, 
and if the combs are built out, put in a couple 
more frames. Add frames as soon as the bees 
require more room until the hive is filled with 
combs. 
6. The first consideration of the beekeeper 
should be to make sure worker-brood is being 
raised. If during the examination the queen 
has not been noticed, and the combs are not 
found to contain worker-brood, if possible, 
without delay, place in the centre, amongst 
the combs, a flame of comb containing eggs 
taken from another hive. Should the swarm 
have lost its queen, royal cells will be at oneo 
started. Should only drone-brood be found, 
the queen must be removed, and the bees 
should be united to another swarm having a 
fertile queen. 
7. In ordinary seasons the beekeeper will 
have to be contented if a young colony fills its 
hive with comb nnd collects enough stores to 
carry it through the winter without his assist- 
