238 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
and a Woodbury, containing frames only, and without 
its bottom board, placed upon it. A few minutes’ 
rapping sent almost every bee into the upper hive, 
which, with its forced swarm, occupied the old stand, 
while the straightening process was in progress. 
We have said that beating upon the hive from one 
to five minutes will cause the bees to ascend, but 
with very weak and poor stocks, or in cold weather, 
this time is often much exceeded ; and sometimes, 
with a -conjunction of the unfavourable conditions 
stated, the bees utterly refuse to leave. In this case, 
they may be got out by throwing, which must not, 
however, be attempted unless the combs are tough, 
and provided with cross sticks. The skep is held 
between the hands at the rim, the fingers within, and 
the thumbs without, when, by a decided downward 
jerk, most of the bees will be at once dislodged. 
Give them no time to recover their astonishment, but 
repeat the process, and, after three or four shakes, 
hardly a bee will remain. Of course, a sheet must 
be spread to receive them ; and if a hive be placed 
on the side or corner of this, in about the position 
the stock occupied, the bees will enter and cluster, 
so long as new bees are being added, even if the 
queen be not with them. 
It is, at all times, difficult to drive from hives but 
partially filled with combs, since the bees cluster in 
its unoccupied parts rather than leave ; while the 
attempt must not be made with very young colonies, 
whose combs are so tender that breakage must 
follow the necessary beating. A caution is also 
needed against driving after hot days, when much 
