NATURAL INCREASE. 
37 
natural swarm is intended to tenant a frame hive, 
it should still be taken in a skep. We have, there- 
fore, to explain how to pass the bees from the 
latter to the former. Spread out upon the ground, 
as near as convenient to the final station, a table- 
cloth, sheet, or opened-out newspaper, stretching 
it as smoothly as possible, and fixing down the 
corners by stones or wooden strips, so that the 
wind may not disturb it. Place upon this the frame 
hive, from which the bottom board has been removed, 
so that its back comes to the edge of the cloth, or 
paper, giving a considerable unoccupied area upon 
which to throw the swarm. Prop up the front of the 
hive with a stone, or block, at each corner, leaving 
about an inch space, by which the bees may rapidly 
enter. Cautiously raising the skep with the contained 
swarm, and standing with the feet well asunder, 
while holding the skep firmly between the open 
palms, with a sharp, sudden, and decided jerk, shake 
out the bees upon the sheet close to the hive. 
By repeatedly dropping, as it were, and catching 
again, the skep between the hands, beat out of it 
the few dozen remaining bees. The fallen swarm, 
startled, does not attempt to take wing, and for the 
first three or four seconds merely spreads out upon 
the sheet, after the fashion of a semi-liquid mass ; 
but the suitability of the hive is immediately recog- 
nised by the party advancing into it, which at once 
starts a joyful note, calling the whole body to the 
newly-offered home, towards which, in a moment, and 
as if by magic, every head turns, and the march 
progresses until all are safely within. Sometimes, 
