CONTROLLED INCREASE. 
257 
its use, either in chilly or in exceedingly hot weather) — 
or hold the frame by one ear, and, with the hand 
at liberty, pick off the queen, seizing her by the 
roots of the wings, for the thorax of a queen is ex- 
ceedingly strong and tough, but the abdomen must 
on no account be subjected even to the most tem- 
pered pressure. The frame, lowered by the one hand 
holding it, may now easily be stood in the hive 
diagonally — i.e.^ one corner up — or, by a little practice, 
the hand retaining the queen can aid the other 
by its little finger, when the frame can be at once 
replaced properly. The queen is now held up by 
the finger and thumb under the dome of wire, 
and released, the palm immediately forming a floor, 
for which the card is at once substituted. The State 
prisoner is now placed on the top bars of the 
frames, the quilt readjusted, a little smoke blown 
in to induce the bees to gorge, and the hive closed, 
after which it is turned half-way round and removed 
four or five yards away, where it must await the 
completion of our arrangements. 
We next place on a stand [st, Fig. 73), as 
nearly as possible the height of the hive mouth, a 
board (i- 3 ) and skep [sk')^ raising the front of the 
rim of the latter on a stone or small block, which 
VOL. II. 
S 
